Pappu Rasam

Rasam, oh God the loveliest dish one can make... Even a novice in cooking will be able to do it perfectly... When ever I speak of Rasam I can only think of My Grandma's Rasam... I recollect the strong smell of Rasam from my Grandma's kitchen window... Oh, how could she make such nice smelling and indeed tasty Rasam...

I once made this Rasam for a guest, the comment I got was it tastes like Bengaluru Rasam... Trust me this Rasam tastes really good... Got it from my Mom though... I have heard that when someone makes good Rasam then that person is believed to be a "Good Cook"... I have heard my realtives say "Athamma makes good rasam" (that was about my Mom's Rasam).

Rasam can be made quickly but when I initially started making them I felt that I had to use every ingredient from the spice rack... ;)



1. Boil 1/4 cup Toor Dhal with a pinch of Turmeric Powder, 1 Tomato and Gingely Oil.
2. Take 1/2 cup of Water and a small lemon size Tamarind and make a paste, remove off the pods and seeds.
3. Mix the Tamarind Water and 1/2 tbsp Chilli Powder, Salt and press a Green Chilli add sufficient Water with the Dhal mix and bring it to a fluid consistency.
4. Heat 1/2 tbsp Cooking Oil, add Mustard Seeds and let it splutter.
5. Then add 2 Sambar Onions (Small Onions) chopped {I use big onions}, crushed Garlic Cloves 2 nos., Curry Leaves, Red Chillies and Asafoetida.
6. Then pour the Dhal Mixture and allow it boil, in about 5-10 mins you will see froath do not stir remove from flames.



7. Meanwhile powder 1/2 tbsp Corriander Seeds, 1 tbsp Pepper and 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds and keep it in a bowl clean Corriander Leave and leave it in the same bowl.
8. Now pour the Rasam into the bowl and stir well.



It would seem to be a long procedure but the preparation time would be 15 mins and the cooking time 15 mins.

Coconut Chutney

Coconut Chutney is the simplest and the easiest thing to prepare... Its actually the quickest side that is prepared... I re-collect, my Mom usually prepares Coconut Chutney when ever my Grandpa makes his visit home, it was his fav... But I used to dislike it God knows why. During winter months I have noticed the oil come out anyways its the most frequently made Chutney... The taste differ when we grind them in a Stone Motar and when its ground in a mixer...



1. Cut Coconut into pieces, 4-5 Green Chillies, 4-5 tbsps of Chick Peas and Salt and grind it adding Water as required.
2. Take a small Lemon sized Tamarind and mix with Water and add it with the ground chutney.



3. Heat Gingely Oil or Cooking Oil in a pan add Mustard Seeds let it splutter.
4. Add 1 tbsp Urad Dhal, 1 tbsp Channa Dhal and a few broken Red Chillies and Curry Leaves.
5. Sprinkle few Asafoetida Powder, mix well and pour it on the ground Chutney.

Serve With: Dosa or Idly

Toor Dhal Adai

Once I happened to visit Lakshmi's place, she makes scrumptous food, she served me with this Adai... I liked it very much, the most important thing that I liked about this Adai was that it was rich in Proteins and it tastes great too... I always wanted to try this out, mmm atlast I did it...



1. Soak 2 cups of Toor Dhal and 1/2 cup of Parboiled Rice for 2 hrs along with 4-5 Red Chillies and 2 tbsps of Cumin Seeds.
2. Grind them to a coarse paste by adding Water if required.



3. Cut 1 medium size Onion and few Stalks of Cilantro and mix in the batter.
4. Cut Coconut into small pieces add to the batter along with Salt to taste.
5. Heat a Pan and sprinkle Gingely Oil and spread the dough on medium flame.
6. After a min. toss off the Adai and wait until it cooks well.



Serve With: Chutney or Sambar

Tomato Onion Chutney

1. Fry 2 tbsps of Channa Dhal, 1 tbsp of Corriander Seeds and 4-5 Red Chillies.



2. Chop a medium size Onion, dice 2 medium sized Tomatoes.
3. Heat a small pan and pour 2 tbsps Gingely Oil and fry the Onions and Tomatoes.
4. Now grind all the ingredients with Salt, until the Onions and Tomatoes blend well.



5. Heat 1 tbsp of Gingely Oil, add Mustard Seeds, 2 tbsps Urad Dhal and Curry Leaves.
6. Pour this mixture on the Chutney and mix well.



Serve With: Dosa, Idly or Chappathi

Oats and Semolina Adai

1. Soak 1 cup of Rice, 1 tbsp of Cumin Seeds and 4-5 Red Chillies for an hour.
2. Soak 3/4 cup of Oats and Semolina each, for about 10-15 mins.



3. Grind all the ingredients to a coarse dough by adding Water if required.
4. Add 1/4 cup of All Pupose Flour to the dough and mix thoroughly.



5. Chop a medium size Onion and few bunches of Cilantro add these along with Salt to the dough.



6. Heat a Tawa and spray Gingely Oil, bring the heat to medium and spread the dough to a desired shape.
7. When the raw color disappears turn the Adai and let it cook it would take 2-3 mins for an Adai to cook well.

Serve With: Tomato Chutney, Coconut Chutney