Mysore Rasam

Mysore Rasam is one of the delicious foods from Karnataka. The freshly ground powder gives such a nice flavor and refreshing taste to it.  I feel the ingredients that gives the flavor to this rasam comes from coconut. This can also used as a soup to soothe problems related to common cold because of pepper. Without any delay, lets look into the recipe:

Ingredients:

For the powder:

Coriander seeds-2 tsp

Cumin seeds-1/2 tsp

Channa dal-2 tsp

Black pepper-7 or 8 ( depending on your spice level)

Red chillies-3

Dry coconut powder-4 tbsp

Curry leaves-4 or 5

For Rasam:

Cooked Toordal-1/2 cup

Tomatoes-2

Tamarind juice-1/2 cup

Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp

Jaggery- 1 tsp

Water-2 cups

Salt

Coriander leaves- a few, finely chopped

For seasoning: Oil, Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chillies, curry leaves

Procedure:

1. Dry roast all the ingredients required for making the powder except coconut powder.
2. Add coconut powder almost in the end when the rest of the ingredients are fried well. Fry coconut for only two minutes.
3. Let them cool and then grind them into powder.
4. I cook tomatoes in microwave for 1 minute and then grind it into paste.
5. Now take a deep vessel and add tomato paste and tamarind juice and bring it to boil. You can add little water if you want.
6. Now add toor dal, turmeric powder, salt, 1 1/2 tsp rasam powder, jaggery and boil till it becomes frothy.
7. Meanwhile in other kadai, heat oil and add all the seasoning ingredients and let them splutter.
8. Now pour this seasoning over the rasam, mix well  and finally garnish with coriander leaves.
9. Serve with rice, dal and pappad.

Note: 

• You can add fresh coconut instead of dry coconut too but then you have to use the extra powder as soon as possible. That's why I used dry coconut so I can store it and use it whenever I want.
• Add ghee after you add the seasoning stuff to oil that will give more taste to the rasam.