Puli Rasam

Puli (tamarind) rasam is the simplest of all the rasams. No need to go for a tomato or rasam powder or dhal to do this puli rasam. So we can make it in just 10 minutes.

Hope many knows the way to serve / take rasam in a full course Indian meal. It is considered to be a healthy kind of soup that heals our digestive tract. I have seen many preferring only this rasam and rice along with thovaiyal or appalam for dinner. For me, it means a heavenly food that too on a rainy season :)


Simple rasam / Homely rasam / Puli rasam



Ingredients:
Tamarind - small lemon size
Turmeric powder - a pinch
water - 3 cups
sesame oil - 2 tsp
red chilly - 2 (torn into pieces)
curry leaf - 1 sprig
mustard - 1/2 tsp
fenugreek (venthayam) - 1/4 tsp
asafoetida (hing) - a pinch
garlic - 3 pearls
cumin - 3/4 tsp
whole black pepper - 1 tsp
salt - to taste

Directions:
Grind the garlic, pepper and cumin coarsely.

Extract juice from tamarind by soaking it in hot water. Like wise extract all the juice by rinsing it twice in cold water. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a wok.
Add the fenugreek and mustard . After the mustard gets splutter , put the curry leaves , asafoetida and red chillies.
Immediately add the ground mixture before the chillies get burnt.
Stir for 30 seconds.

Now pour the tamarind extract along with Turmeric powder and let it boil till the raw smell vanishes.
Then switch off the flame and add salt to taste (3/4 tsp).

Don't add the salt before switching off the flame as it will change the fresh smell of the rasam.

Serving suggestions:
Makes 300 ml of clear rasam.
Let the rasam settle down first and just serve the top layer of rasam.
Serve over hot rice along with appalam or thogaiyal .
If preferred serve as a soup , but after meals.

Aattukkaal paaya

'Aattukkal paaya' means a soupy thin curry made with goat legs. 

Most of the South Indian restaurants serve this aattukal paya along with Idiyappam (rice noodles) for the breakfast or dinner. If you are not familiar with this less spicy dish , then don't hesitate to order it in your next visit to an Indian restaurant, especially the 'chettinad' (a cuisine of South India) ones.
Just empty a bowl of this aattukal paya over a plate of hot Idiyappam / soft dosa / Idly and ENJOY :)

Most of the time I prepare the aattukal soup and serve it first. Then I use the excess soup along with pieces to make this kulambu. But here is the complete recipe.

Aattukkaal paaya / Goat leg kuruma:

Goat leg curry is ready!

Ingredients:

Goat leg - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Masala 1:

ginger- 2 inch
garlic-5 pearls

To dry roast:

cloves - 5
cardamom- 4
cinnamon- 1 inch
fennel seeds - 1 tbsp
cumin seeds - 1 tsp
cashews - 5
nutmeg - a tiny shaving
mace - small bit
poppy seeds- 1 tbsp
pepper - 1 tsp

Grind:

Above roasted items -
shredded coconut - 1 tbsp
red chilly powder - 1 tsp
coriander powder - 3 tsp

In a pan dry roast poppy seeds alone and keep aside.
Then dry roast all the above except coconut and grind everything together along with coconut.

other ingredients:

Bay leaves -2
cinnamon - 2 inch
Red onion - 2
tomato -2 (100 gms)
curry leaves- 1 sprig
cilantro- 1 handful
mint leaves - 1 handful
cooking oil- 3 tsp
Green chilli- 6
potato - 3 (1/2 lb)

Method:

First slightly blacken the skin in legs in flame to burn all the left over hair.
Break it in to two pieces to reduce the length.
Then rub and wash it thoroughly by applying turmeric powder.

Place the legs in a pressure cooker vessel along with water (6 cups) to immerse the legs.

In a kadai , heat 2 tsp cooking oil.Add 1/2 tsp fennel seeds and after it turns red add brinji leaves,curry leaves, chopped onion and saute till onion turns red.
Now put green chillies, cilantro and mint leaves one by one .
Add the remaining ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell vanishes.
Pour it into the pressure cooker and cook it to get one whistle.
Then reduce the flame and cook in low heat for 25 - 30 minutes till the leg gets completely cooked. Open the lid after the pressure is gone.

In the same time finely chop the tomato. Peel and cut the potatoes in to big chunks. Add the chopped tomto , potato , Masala 2 , salt along with 3 cups of water to the cooked legs .

Cook the whole kulambu to another whistle . Reduce flame and let it remain in low heat for another 10 minutes . Switch off flame.

Aattukal paaya is ready !

Serving suggestions:

The final consistency should be very thin like a soup.
Serve hot over Idiyappam / sponge soft dosa / Idly /rice / aappam.

Tips:

Adding potato is optional but I prefer to have something more in this meatless bony curry:)