A delicious South Indian style sour soup, made with tamarind and lentils…
I think it is clearly visible that I am struggling to create content for the blog. With my drafts dwindling and my cooking only for survival sake, it has been a very difficult time for me. I don’t want to let my blog be bare, however it just ends up that way. I can only say that I don’t see any improvement in the coming months, especially with Ramadan drawing very close. When many instagrammers are already up with their Ramadan series, I am nowhere in that category. Let me be, right? 😀 While I posted the Mango Bango on schedule, I went home on a very short trip to attend my cousin’s wedding. It was an amazing break from routine. Even though it was hot, it was amazing and breakneck at the same time! I have been a little more consistent with my workouts, though I can’t say the same with my eating, as such. However, all I can say is that I feel better than I have felt in a really long time as far as my physical strength is concerned. I guess that gives a little insight to how the year has been faring so far… 🙂
Having posted so many sweet recipes off late, I really want to switch to something spicy. I love rasam. For me, an afternoon meal of rice, umma style tamarind rasam, beans upperi and fish fry is a tug in my stomach. During my last proper visit back home in 2021, I saw umma adding cooked toor dal to her regular rasam. She said that it added more volume and thickness than usual to the rasam. She is right, but having said that, I am not a fan of thick rasam. I was very apprehensive when I made this rasam for the sadya I had prepared last year during the Onam time. However, my apprehensions were all put to rest. The cooked lentils did nothing much to make it that thick. In fact, it gave a nice grainy edge and made it even more tasty. I had made a huge pot of this rasam when HD had to take something along for their committee sadya, and he came back with an empty pot. Everybody commented that it was the perfect digestion drink after a heavy sadya. Hehe… Off to this super simple recipe…
Dal Rasam | Parippu Rasam | Rasam with Lentils
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup toor dal
- 6-8 pearl onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 5-8 dry red chillies
- 1 large tomato chopped
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 lime size pc tamarind soaked in 1 cup hot water
- Coriander leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Pressure cook the toor dal with water upto its level and salt for one whistle or till done. Allow the pressure to go on its own.
- Pour the onion, garlic, cumin and pepper in a mortar and pestle roughly.
- In an earther pot, heat oil. Splutter the mustard and fry the dry chillies and curry leaves.
- Add the pounded mixture and saute with a pinch of salt till nicely wilted.
- Add the tomato and turmeric powder, sprinkle in some water - better the water wiping the mortar. Close and cook, stirring occassinally till the tomato is completely wilted.
- Squeeze the tamarind completely and discard the tamarind. Pour the water into the rasam. Bring to boil.
- Add the cooked dal along with its water, adjust seasoning and cook for another five minutes or till done.
- Add the coriander leaves and switch off. Serve with rice and ghee, or have it as a soup along with a sadya.