Pappu charu / Toor dal rasam

Ingredients :

Toor dal : 1 cup

green chillies : 3 or 4 depending on hotness

tamarind : small lime size

dry red chillies : 4

mustard seeds : 1/2 tsp

cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp

garlic : 2 or 3 pods

turmeric : 1/8 tsp

jaggery : 1/8 cup powdered

curry leaves : few

salt : as per taste

oil : 1 tbsp

First wash and boil the toor dal in a pressure cooker along with the garlic pods and 1/4 tsp cumin seeds. Then mash the dal into a fine paste and add water to make it into pouring consistency. Soak the tamarind in water for about 15 min and squeeze out the pulp and keep aside. In a pan heat the oil and when hot add in the mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Next add in the dry red chillies, cumin, curry leaves ,turmeric and green chillies. Next add the tamarind extract and bring it to boil. Now add the toor dal, salt and jaggery and bring it to a nice boil over slow flame. Serve hot with plain rice.

Bakshala charu / chana dal rasam

Ingredients :

Chana dal : 1 cup

tamarind : 1/2 inch piece

oil : 1 tsp

mustard seeds : 1 /2 tsp

cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp

red chillies : 2

red chilli powder : 1/4 tsp

turmeric : a pinch

sugar / jaggery : 1 tsp powdered

salt : as per taste

First pressure cook the chana dal with 2 cups water for about one whistle in a pressure cooker. Separate the chana dal and the water. Use the dal for any other curry. Now in a pan heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Allow them to crackle. Now add in the cumin seeds, red chillies curry leaves and turmeric. Add the water and tamarind and bring it to a boil. Add the chilli powder, sugar and salt. After 5 minutes switch off the stove. Serve with rice. Tastes heavenly.

Note : u can also add the onions in the tempering if u wish but the taste differs. It is nice without the onions only.

Alasandalu/Bobbarla charu / Red/Cow peas soup

Ingredients :

Alasandalu/ Bobbarlu / Black eyed red peas/ Cow peas : 2 cups

Oil : 1 tbsp

Dry red chillies : 3

Mustard seeds : 1 tsp

cumin seeds : 1 tsp

ginger garlic paste : 1/2 tsp

corriander seeds : 2 tsp

cardamom pod : 1

cinamom : 1' stick

cloves : 2

red chilli powder : 1/4 tsp

tamarind : Key lime size

onions : 1/4 cup chhopped into thin long slices

green chillies : 2 no chopped

turmeric : 1/4 tsp

salt : as per taste

curry leaves : few

corriander leaves : 1/4 cup chopped

Wash and soak the bobbarlu/ cow peas in water over night. Next morning cook the peas with little extra water until they are tender. Alternatively u can pressure cook in a pressure cooker for two whistles. Now drain out the excess water into another bowl. Do not throw this away as we are doing the soup with this water only!.

Now add in the tamarind to the liquid. Grind the corriander seeds,cardamom, cloces and cinamom stick into a fine owder and keep aside. In a nonstick vessel heat the oil and add the mustard seeds,cumin seeds, dry red chillies,curry leaves, green chillies and turmeric. Add in the onions and ginger garlic paste. Keep mixing in order to avoid burning at the bottom. Now add the ground mixture, red chilli powder,corriander leaves and salt. Mix once and add in the liquid along with tamarind. Cook for 15 minutes until it boils and emits out nice aroma. Switch off the stove and serve with plain rice.

Tomato rasam

Ingredients :

Tomatoes : 3 small
Tamarind : 2 inch piece
oil :2 tsp
mustard seeds : 1 tsp
cumin : 1 tsp
cumin powder ; 1/2 tsp
garlic paste : 1/2 tsp
fenugreek seeds : 1/4 tsp
corriander powder : 1/2 tsp
red chilli powder : 1/4 tsp
dry red chillies : 4
curry leaves : few
corriander leaves : few
turmeric : 1/4 tsp

Cut and boil the tomatoes along with tamarind and cool. Now squeeze out the pulp and keep aside. In another pan heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Let them crackle. Add in the fenugreek seeds, cumin , dry red chillies, curry leaves, turmeric, cumin powder, garlic paste, corriander powder and corriander leaves. See that the flame is low otherwise the powders will tend to burn and u do not get a nice flavour. Now pour in the pulp and stir once. U can add water to get the desired consistancy. Now add in the chilli powder and salt. Cook on medium flame for about 20 minutes so that all the spices get absorbed by the tomatoes and switch off the stove. Serve hot with rice.

Bendakaya / bendi sambar

Ingredients :

Toor dal / kandi pappu : 1 cup raw

oil : 1 tbsp

onion : 1/2 cup sliced thinly

tomato : 1 big sliced thinly

okra/bendi : 1/2 cup cut into pieces

green chillies : 2 cut into pieces

dry red chillies : 3

tamarind : lime size

fenugreek seeds : 1/4 tsp

mustard seeds : 1 tsp

cumin : 1 tsp

cumin powder : 1/4 tsp

turmeric : 1/4 tsp

ginger garlic paste : 1/2 tsp

corriander powder : 1/2 tsp

corriander leaves : 1/2 cup

red chilli powder : 1/2 tsp

salt : as per taste

Pressure cook the dal for 4 whistles. Mash and keep aside. In the meanwhile soak the tamarind in hot water and squeeze out the juice. In a large pan pour the oil and allow it to heat. Now put in the fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Add in the cumin, dry red chillies and curry leaves. Also add the turmeric,green chillies, onions, okra and ginger garlic paste. Keep mixing in order to avoid burning and sticking to the bottom. Once the onions are translucent add in the tomatoes. Cook for some time till the tomatoes are cooked. Now add in the tamarind juice and bring it to a boil. Also add in the mashed dal and bring it to boil. Add water if necessary. After some time add the red chilli powder,salt, cumin powder and corriander powder. Add the corriander leaves also. Keep on slow flame for about 10 min and then switch off the stove. Serve hot with rice.