Tamarind Rasam / Indian Tamarind Spicy Soup

Rasam (Chaaru) is nothing but tamarind juice mixed well with spices. As it contains pepper, cumin and garlic it is a highly recommended food for cough, cold and fever.

Ingredients:



Tamarind - 1 small lemon soaked in warm water

Tomato - 1 small size

Pepper - 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Coriander leaves - 6 strings

Curry leaves - 1 string

Green chillies - 2 nos

Garlic clove - 1 small

Salt - To taste

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Fenugreek seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - a pinch



Method:
1) Take Tamarind in a bowl and soak it in warm water for 15 minutes.

2) Squeeze the tamarind and extract the juice from it. Add some more water and again squeeze to extract juice out of it. .

3) Cut the tomato, mash it using your hands. Add this to the tamarind juice.

4) Add pepper, cumin seeds, 3 strings of chopped coriander leaves, green chillies and garlic together in a mixer or food processor and grind it for half a minute until the ingredients are half crushed.

5) Transfer this mixture to the bowl containing tamarind juice and mix the contents well.

6) Add salt and turmeric powder to the mixture.

7) Heat tamarind juice mixture in a medium flame.

8) When foam starts forming in the top of the mixture, sprinkle 3 strings of chopped coriander leaves and turn off the stove.

9) Take a frying pan and heat oil in it.

10) Add mustard seeds and fenugreek. Once they splutter, add curry leaves.

11) Add this seasoning to the tamarind juice mixture.

12) Tamarind Rasam is ready.

Note:

1) To get best results add salt when the rasam starts heating and stop the flame when it forms foam. Don't allow it to boil as the Rasam will lose its taste.

2) Adjust the water quantity according to the sourness of tamarind. 

Chicken Kulambu / Chicken Gravy

You might have come across many chicken recipes. But here I present a simple Chicken Gravy whose taste will linger in your taste buds for a long time. It is prepared in a rural style.

Ingredients:



For Kulambu:



Chicken - 250 grams

Onion - 1 large - finely chopped

Tomato - 1 large

Ginger paste -  1 teaspoon

Garlic paste - 1 teaspoon

Salt - To taste

Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Split urid dal - 1/2 teaspoon

Curry leaves - 2 strings

Oil - 4 teaspoon

Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon



For Masala:



Coriander powder - 2 tablespoon

Dry Red Chilies - 5 nos

Poppy seeds - 1 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1 table spoon

Rice grains - 1 tablespoon

Method:



For Masala:



1) Take a pan and heat a teaspoon of oil in it.

2) Add all the ingredients as above mentioned for Masala.

3) Roast them well. Turn off the flame after you sense good aroma coming from it while roasting.

4) Allow the contents to cool.

5) Once the masala mixture cools down, grind it to a paste by adding little bit water. Keep this masala paste aside.



For Kulambu:



1) Wash chicken pieces thoroughly twice or thrice.

2) Take chicken pieces in a bowl. Add pepper, salt and 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder. Close the bowl using lid and keep it aside for 10- 15 minutes.

3) After 10- 15 minutes, pressure cook / microwave the chicken pieces (only for few minutes). Keep them aside once cooked.

3) Take a tomato and make a paste out of it by grinding it well in a food processor / mixer.

4) Take a wide pan and heat oil in it.

5) Add Mustard seeds and urid dal. Allow the seeds to pop out.

6) Add curry leaves.

7) After few second, add onions and saute them till turn translucent.

8) Add tomato paste and saute them well till you don't sense the raw smell of tomato.

9) Add the prepared masala mix and if required, add water. Allow it to boil.

10) Now add the chicken pieces, salt and turmeric powder. Stir it well.

11) Allow it to boil for 5 - 10 minutes.

12) When the the kulambu becomes thick or when oil starts to ooze out from gravy turn off the flame.
13) Hot n Spicy Chicken Gravy / Chicken Kulambu is ready to be served.

Muttaikose Poriyal / Cabbage Curry

Cabbage is consumed around the world as an ingredient in soups and salads. Cabbage Poriyal (poriyal means side dish) is a typical South Indian dish that goes well with any menu at lunch time. Many don't like cabbage just because of
its distinct smell / odour. The odour arises primarily due to prolonged cooking. A tip
to avoid the odour is to chop the cabbage to a fine extent and then cook it for about 5 minutes.

Ingredients:


Cabbage - 2 cups, finely chopped

Onion - 2 tablespoon, finely chopped

Green chillies - 2 nos, cut in a vertical fashion

Curry leaves - 1 string

Mustard seeds and urid dal - 1/2 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Grated coconuts - 1/4 cup

Oil - 2 teaspoons

Method:



1) Empty the finely chopped cabbage to a pressure cooker. Sprinkle water and cook for five-seven minutes by closing the lid. Its not necessary to put whistle.

2) Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and urid dal.

3) When mustard seeds start to splutter, add curry leaves and green chillies.

4) After few seconds, add onion and saute them well.

5) Now add the cooked cabbage. Add salt and start mixing slowly.

6) Add grated coconut and mix well. Now remove the contents from stove and transfer it to a bowl.

7) Cabbage Poriyal is ready to be served.