Recipe - Tomato Saaru(Rasam)

Description: There are many ways of preparing tomato saaru. I'll get onto all the ways eventually. This is the way one of my friends prepared the rasam when we had visited her. We loved it a lot! I got this recipe from her and she has graciously allowed me to publish it :). There is no way you can go wrong with this :).

Preparation Time : 5 minutes.

Cooking Time : 10 minutes.

Ingredients:
1.Kari Menasina pudi (Black Pepper Powder): 2-3 teaspoons or as per taste.
2.Jeerige Pudi (Cumin seeds Powder): 1-2 teaspoons.
3.Sasive (Mustard): 1 teaspoon
4.BelluLli (Garlic): about 3-4 florets or as per taste (chopped). This is optional.
5.Uppu (Salt): As per your taste.
6. kottaMbari soppu (Coriander Leaves): a handful
7. Enne/Thuppa (Oil/Ghee): 2 tablespoons.
8. neeru (Water): 4-5 cups
9. Karibevu (Curry Leaves): a little
10. huLi (Tamarind paste): a little
11. Tomato: 3
12. ingu: (asafetida powder): a little. This is optional
13. oNa meNasina kaayi (Red Chilies): 2-3

How to Prepare:
1. Pour the water in a vessel.
2. Add salt and pepper powder.
3. Add lot of fresh coriander leaves, tamarind paste, garlic and coriander powder.
4. Add the tomatoes to it.
5. Squeeze all these in the water either using a ladle or your hand. (Of course you have to wash your hand thoroughly before that!)

6. Take some oil in another pan.
7. Add the mustard seeds and let them crackle.
8. Add the curry leaves and red chilies and fry for a while.
9. Add a pinch asafetida powder.

10. Add all the contents of the pan into the vessel (with squeezed items in it).
11. Boil everything for about 10 – 15 minutes.
12. It is done.
13. You can drink it like a soup or have it mixed with hot rice

Servings: 2 - 3 Servings.

PS1: The names of ingredients are how they are called in Kannada, my mother tongue. Their English equivalents are given in brackets.

PS2: The recipes that I am posting are those that I have tried personally and have turned out well. They are recipes that I am collecting from my mother, mother-in-law, aunts, uncles, friends, cousins and my husband.

PS3: I think I have covered whatever needs to be covered. Please let me know if you would like to see any changes in the way the recipes are presented.

PS4: Enjoy your cooking. I definitely am enjoying it immensely!

Recipe - Huli Avalakki (Puffed Rice Snack)

Description: HuLi Avalakki is puffed rice prepared into a really yummy breakfast! It’s so easy to prepare that it is almost like a fast food! I haven't heard of anybody who hasn't liked it till now.

Dishes prepared out of puffed rice have a bit of mythological history attached behind them ( Check it out here if your are interested to know what the story is ). Because of this, we in India are not supposed to refuse to eat anything prepared out of puffed rice if it is offered to us!

Anyway, I'll get on to the recipe now.

Preparation Time : 5 minutes.

Cooking Time : 10 minutes.

Ingredients:
1. avalakki (Puffed Rice): About 150 grams
2. kobbari turi (Grated Coconut): a little . It is optional
3. uddina bele (Black gram): 1 tablespoon
4. kaDle bele (Bengal gram): 1 tablespoon
5. saasive (Mustard Seeds): 1 teaspoon
6. huLi (Tamarind water/ Concentrated tamarind): as per taste
7. bella (Brown Sugar): about 10 grams or as per taste
8. uppu (Salt): as per taste
9. karibEvina soppu (Curry Leaves): a handful or lesser
10.oNagida meNasina kaayi (Red Chilli): 2-3
11.meNasina pudi (Red Chilli Powder): 1 tablespoon or as per taste.
12.eNNe (Any Oil): 3-4 table spoons
13.arishina (Turmeric Powder): 1 teaspoon
14.neeru (water): 2 small glasses

How to Prepare:
1.Coarsely grind the puffed rice in a mixer.
2.Heat the oil in a pan and fry the mustard until it sputters.
2. Add the black gram, Bengal gram, curry leaves, red Chillies and the grated coconut and fry them for about 1 or 2 minutes.
3. Turn the stove off and add water to the same pan.
4. Add turmeric powder, salt, brown sugar, tamarind and red Chilli powder and mix them well.
5. Add the puffed rice and mix everything well.
6. Keep this aside for about 10 minutes till all the water is absorbed by the puffed rice and it becomes a little dry.
7. It is now ready to eat.

If it is watery even after you soak it for a while, grind a little more puffed rice and put it into the water. If you feel that it has become very dry, then you can just sprinkle a little water. You will learn exactly how much water you will need only by trial and error :).

The good part is, once you learn to do it right , you have a really tasty and yummy snack that can be prepared in a jiffy :).

Servings: 2 Servings.

PS1: The names of ingredients are how they are called in Kannada, my mother tongue. Their English equivalents are given in brackets.

PS2: The recipes that I am posting are those that I have tried personally and have turned out well. They are recipes that I am collecting from my mother, mother-in-law, aunts, uncles, friends, cousins and my husband.

PS3: I think I have covered whatever needs to be covered. Please let me know if you would like to see any changes in the way the recipes are presented.

PS4: Enjoy your cooking. I definitely am enjoying it immensely!

Recipe - Beetroot Soup

Description: As always a very easy and tasty soup ! Takes only about 20 minutes and best of all… its really tasty and nutritious! You can serve this soup hot or cold. Add a few breadcrumbs if serving hot and cream or curd if serving cold.

Preparation Time : 10 minutes.

Cooking Time : 15 minutes.

Ingredients:
1. Beetroot:1
2. Carrots: 2
3. Tomato: 1
4. alogaDde (Potato): 1
5. belluLli (Garlic): 2-3 florets
6. IruLli (Onion): 1
7. uppu (Salt) : as per taste
8. kari meNasina pudi (Black Pepper Powder): 1-2 teaspoons or as per taste
9. kottaMbari soppu(Coriander): a little.

How to Prepare:
1. Cut, peal and boil all the vegetables in a pressure cooker. Let the vegetables cool for a while. The lid of the blender might be blown off if you try to blend the vegetables when they are hot.
2. Add the pepper powder, salt and blend the boiled vegetables in a blender.
3. Add a little hot water if the soup is very thick at the time of blending.
4. Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve either hot or cold.
5. Boil/microwave the soup once again if you want to serve it hot at a later time. Garnish the soup with coriander and breadcrumbs just before serving.
6. Refrigerate the soup for sometime if serving cold. Add fresh cream or curd just before serving.

Servings: 2 - 3 Servings.

PS1: The names of ingredients are how they are called in Kannada, my mother tongue. Their English equivalents are given in brackets.

PS2: The recipes that I am posting are those that I have tried personally and have turned out well. They are recipes that I am collecting from my mother, mother-in-law, aunts, uncles, friends, cousins and my husband.

PS3: I think I have covered whatever needs to be covered. Please let me know if you would like to see any changes in the way the recipes are presented.

PS4: Enjoy your cooking. I definitely am enjoying it immensely!

Recipe - Carrot Soup

Description: As always a very easy and tasty soup ! Takes only about 20 minutes and best of all… its really tasty and nutritious! You can serve this soup hot or cold. Add a few breadcrumbs if serving hot and cream or curd if serving cold.

Preparation Time : 10 minutes.

Cooking Time : 15 minutes.

Ingredients:
1. Carrots: 2
2. Tomato: 1
3. alogaDde (Potato): 1
4. belluLli (Garlic): 2-3 florets
5. IruLli (Onion): 1
6. uppu (Salt) : as per taste
7. kari meNasina pudi (Black Pepper Powder): 1-2 teaspoons or as per taste
8. kottaMbari soppu(Coriander): a little.

How to Prepare:
1. Cut, peal and boil all the vegetables in a pressure cooker. Let the vegetables cool for a while. The lid of the blender might be blown off if you try to blend the vegetables when they are hot.
2. Add the pepper powder, salt and blend the boiled vegetables in a blender.
3. Add a little hot water if the soup is very thick at the time of blending.
4. Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve either hot or cold.
5. Boil/microwave the soup once again if you want to serve it hot at a later time. Garnish the soup with coriander and breadcrumbs just before serving.
6. Refrigerate the soup for sometime if serving cold. Add fresh cream or curd just before serving.

Servings: 2 - 3 Servings.

PS1: The names of ingredients are how they are called in Kannada, my mother tongue. Their English equivalents are given in brackets.

PS2: The recipes that I am posting are those that I have tried personally and have turned out well. They are recipes that I am collecting from my mother, mother-in-law, aunts, uncles, friends, cousins and my husband.

PS3: I think I have covered whatever needs to be covered. Please let me know if you would like to see any changes in the way the recipes are presented.

PS4: Enjoy your cooking. I definitely am enjoying it immensely!

Recipe - Haalu MeNasina Saaru(Black Pepper Rasam)

Description: Haalu MeNasina Saaru is once again a very easy and tasty rasam to prepare and takes only about 15 minutes max. It is very good for health. Infact, back in India, it is something that is given for people recovering from fever and other minor ailments. You can eat it with rice or just drink it like a soup.

Preparation Time : 5 minutes.

Cooking Time : 10 minutes.

Ingredients:
1.Kari Menasina pudi (Black Pepper Powder): 3-4 teaspoons.
2.Jeerige Pudi (Cumin seeds Powder): 2-3 teaspoons.
3.Sasive (Mustard): 1 teaspoon
4.BelluLli (Garlic): about 20 florets or as per taste (chopped)
5.Uppu (Salt): As per your taste.
6. Bella/ Sakkare (Brown Sugar / Sugar): a little
7. Enne/Thuppa (Oil/Ghee): 2 tablespoons.
8. Haalu (Milk): 1 Glass
9. Karibevu (Curry Leaves): a little

How to Prepare:
1. Heat the oil/ghee and fry the mustard till it sputters.
2. Add the pepper powder, cumin powder and the curry leaves.
3. Add the garlic and fry till it turns golden brown.
4. Add milk, salt and brown sugar and boil the mixture till it becomes a little thick.

Servings: 2 - 3 Servings.

PS1: The names of ingredients are how they are called in Kannada, my mother tongue. Their English equivalents are given in brackets.

PS2: The recipes that I am posting are those that I have tried personally and have turned out well. They are recipes that I am collecting from my mother, mother-in-law, aunts, uncles, friends, cousins and my husband.

PS3: I think I have covered whatever needs to be covered. Please let me know if you would like to see any changes in the way the recipes are presented.

PS4: Enjoy your cooking. I definitely am enjoying it immensely!