I was going through all my recipe note books few days back. I started writing down recipes from my college days. I used to copy from magazines, note down seeing cookery shows etc.
While I was going through my very first recipe note book, I saw this recipe. This was one of the recipes taught by my dad’s aunt. We used to call her ‘ Perima pati’ . She is no more with us now. She was a very enterprising woman, a super cook and was very neat in her work too. I still remember how amused she was when asked her to tell me about few traditional recipes in detail with measurements:)

I made this rasam for the first time. I have made few changes in the recipe. The rasam was very very delicious and I was very happy with the results 🙂

Ingredients

Tender brinjals – 5

Oil – 1 tsp

Tomato – 1

Tamarind – a small lemon size

Red chilli powder – 1 tsp

Cumin ( jeera ) powder – 11/2 tsps

Grated jaggery- 1 tsp

Tuvar dal – 1/4th cup

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste
To roast and grind

Coriander seeds – 1 tsp

Jeera – 1/2 tsp

Pepper – 1/4th tsp
For tempering

Melted ghee – 1 tsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Green chillies slit – 2

Hing – a pinch

Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tbsps

Method

Wash and soak tuvar dal for 30 mins. Drain the water, add fresh water and turmeric powder and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles or till its cooked soft.

Soak tamarind in a cup of water for 15-20 mins. Squeeze well and take the extract.

Wash and chop the tomato.

Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin seeds and pepper till the for few mins till the seeds become crisp. Cool and grind to a powder.

Cut the brinjals into thin strips. Heat 1 tsp of oil in a pan. Add the brinjals and very little salt. Sauté till it becomes slightly tender.

To the tamarind extract, add the sautéed brinjals, chopped tomato, red chilli powder, cumin powder, jaggery and salt to taste.

Let it boil well till the tomato becomes tender and the raw smell of tamarind goes away.

Add the cooked and mashed tuvar dal, ground spice powder and 2 cups of water. Mix well and check for the seasonings.

Let it simmer for few mins.

Heat ghee in a pan. Add the mustard. When it starts spluttering, add cumin seeds, slit green chillies and hing. Sauté for few seconds and add the tempering to the rasam.

Garnish the rasam with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice drizzled with melted ghee, potato roast, chips or papad:)