Rasam powder

Dear Foodies,

As promised, I finally managed to get the recipe for rasam powder from my mom and successfully noted down the ingredients so I don't mess them up here. I have never made rasam or sambar powder for myself until now. I get my stock renewed when I go home or my mom parcels it out to me. This time though she made it fresh right here in my kitchen :)

It could be because of the familiarity of flavors, but when I am looking for the comforting taste, only the rasam/sambar made from my mom's powder does the trick. I have used MTR's sambar powder a few times and I find its definitely better than a few other brands I tried. But making the powder isn't tough at all. You could make a decently portioned amount of powder and store it in a ziploc bag or airtight container that seals its freshness. I usually store the powders in a section of my fridge and extract tiny portions to store in my spice rack when needed. If you don't make rasam frequently at home then you could easily size it down too to serve a few meals. The extra minutes you spend making it will be generously rewarded through flavor. You also get a chance to tailor it to suit your tastes.

Here is my mother's recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup - Dhania/ coriander seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp - Miriyalu/ whole Peppercorns
• 1 tsp - Jeera/ Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp - Chana dal
• 1 tsp - Toor dal
• 1/2 -1 tsp - Red chilli powder (optional)

Method:

• Dry roast all the ingredients one after the other, until they slightly change colors and release their aroma. (except chilli powder ofcourse)
  
• Cool them on a plate for a few minutes and ground to a fine powder. Add chilli powder and mix. Store in a dry, airtight container/bag.

Here is a recipe for tomato chaaru/rasam using this powder.

Dhania is the main ingredient in the rasam powder which is then followed by pepper in quantity. Dhania has been known for its positive effects on the digestive system and is a carminative. It soothes the system and finds itself being used to relieve indigestion (pepper also aids in this) and flatulence. You can read more about this seed at its wiki page. Infact both coriander and tamarind act as appetite stimulants thus helping you eat a little more of that delicious payasam and scrumptious vada at the end of a lengthy festival meal ;) Now you know why they enticingly place the imli ki chutney along with the appetizers at restaurants, it gets the digestive juices flowing getting you all set to pounce on the main menu :)

The dals are added to lend support to the powder and increase in their quantity will lead to a very thick rasam. My mother does not salt her rasam powder, she prefers adding it while making the rasam based on the quantity and type of rasam made, same practice for hing/asafoetida too. Using these as a guideline, I am sure you can size down the recipe to your needs. So try this version if you are in mood for a change and come back to tell me if you liked it :)

How is your family recipe different from mine ?

Have a nice weekend all!

Tips will be encouraged

Dear Foodies,


Curry leaf (or karivepaku or kadipatta or karivepalai) is a essential and unique ingredient of Indian cuisine. I pick it up during my visit to the Indian store rather thoughtlessly every single time and toss it into the tadka with the same attitude. And just as casually as I pick it up at the store, I set it aside on my plate while eating too !! How many of you eat it, honestly ?

Despite this alienation on the plate, when there was a ban and subsequent shortage of curry leaf at the stores a few months back, I began to miss it! Whenever I found a ziploc bag of these aromatic leaves in the freezer section of the Indian store, I grabbed and stored it into my freezer. I have been doing it for a few months now and realized I had about 5 packs of it at home :)) Yes! I am that greedy gal who picked up the last pack leaving you none...

Well, all that wasn't enough either and when my mother was filling huge suitcases with goodies for us I told her about the ban here. She industriously got a huge crop of fresh leaves from our neighbor's garden, washed, dried and powdered them to use here. This was a convenient method both for transporting it and prolonging its life. But the best result was it saved us the trouble of discarding it on the plate. So if you are leaf-pickers just like me or cook for people who are, try this out..

Wash and spread the curry leaves on a kitchen towel and set it to dry for a day or two. You can do this right in your kitchen. After the moisture in them is nearly out, dry roast/fry them in a pan just to get rid of any moisture and crisp them. Powder them coarsely and store in a airtight jar or ziploc bag. Use a pinch or two in your tadka and see it melt into your curry away from your prying eyes...

But hey, do save a few of the freshest leaves or what would you top that yummy dal or that warm rasam you just made for the blo.... err family :)

This is not the curry leaf powder that is mixed with rice and had, for that you would want to dry roast (or use 1tsp oil) some urad dal, channa dal, dry red chillies, hing/ingua, a tiny piece of tamarind and grind to a coarse powder along with the powdered leaves. Add salt to taste and enjoy it with warm rice mixed with a dollop of ghee and some curd on the side...you'll love it!

Curry leaves are known to be a medicinal herb, according to Wiki they are "antidiabetic ^[2], antioxidant ^[3], antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, anti-hypercholesterolemic etc." Here is another article that details their advantages. An excerpt from it

Apart from cooking, the curry leaf has a number of medicinal uses also. It is an essential ingredient of almost all traditional medicine systems of peninsular India, sometimes with amazingly good results. Unani, Ayurveda and other systems use it to cure ailments such as piles, to allay heat of the body and are useful in leucoderma and blood disorders, and this has been proven by experts of western medicine also. In India, the curry leaf is used to prevent conditions such as nausea and stomach upsets. It is also used in treating skin irritations and poisonous bites. Its oils are invaluable as repellants and to cure skin disorders common to the tropics.

Did you know of this use for curry leaves ?

It can also be ground into a paste with some turmeric and applied on acne infected skin for a few days. The result is a glowing, clear skin

Need to try it out...now out with your little kitchen tips. What short cuts do you seek in your kitchen? .. any easy beauty tips ??