Horse gram Soup / Rasam & an Award

Horse gram - what comes to your mind when you hear this???!!!!. :) Blink blink.. I know its the gram that is used to feed horses. When it can make horse so powerful.. wont it do good to us too. :):)

Lets get the horse power.. :) Say cheers with a cup of healthy horse gram soup today. :)


Ingredients:

Horse Gram - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 6 flakes
Big onion - 1
Salt - for taste
Curry leaves - few
Tamarind - small lemon sized
Coconut - 2 tblsp

Grind together(masala):

Coriander seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Pepper - 1/4 tsp
Red chillies - 4
Asafoetida - a pinch
Black gram - 1/2 tsp
Bengal gram - 1/2 tsp





Method:

Dry roast the horse gram and then pressure cook till soft and keep it aside. Now in a pan take few spoons of oil and fry the masala items for few min. Then grind them finely along with 1 1/2 tblsp of cooked horse gram and coconut.

In a pan take a spoon of oil and crackle mustard and fry along with red chillies, garlic and chopped onion. Now add the ground paste to it and fry till good smell comes from it. Add the remaining cooked horse gram, tamarind extract, jaggery and salt to it and allow it to boil for a while. Finally garnish with curry leaves.

Horse gram soup or rasam is ready to serve. :) Serve it hot with steamed rice and chips or just have it as a hot soup. Happy making. :)





Now for the award:

I should really thank my sweet blogger friends for nominating me for the award. Its absolutely nice of you to encourage me so much.

Thanks a million to Gheeth of En samayal arayil , Ammu of Ammuvin samayal kuripugal and Sushma Mallya of Authentic Food delights.

Thanks to Dhanyaa Rajeesh of Amma's adukkal for passing the cretive blogger award.



And my best buddy Parita of Parita's world has passed me the ABC tag :) Thank you dear.

So here it goes

The Rules:

1. Link the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Share the ABCs of you.
4. Tag 4 people at the end of your post by linking to their blogs.
5. Let the 4 tagged people know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their website.
6. Do not tag the same person repeatedly but try to tag different people, so that there is a big network of bloggers doing this tag.

The Tag:

1. A – Available/Single? Single

2. B – Best friend? Loads

3. C – Cake or Pie? Cake

4. D – Drink of choice? Mango Complan

5. E – Essential item you use every day? PC and Mobile

6. F – Favorite color? Aqua Blue and Red

7. G – Gummy Bears Or Worms? Gummy Bears

8. H – Hometown? Salem - Tamil Nadu

9. I – Indulgence? Many - Shakes, Candies, ice creams, chaats etc. the list goes on.

10. J – January or February? Y not March :(

11. K – Kids & their names? Ha ha, yet to get married. But have loads of names in mind.

12. L – Life is incomplete without? Love and affection

13. M – Marriage date? Not Applicable

14. N – Number of siblings? 1 elder sis

15. O – Oranges or Apples? Oranges

16. P – Phobias/Fears? Route phobia combined with darkness phobia.. I often get lost :):(

17. Q – Quote for today? Whatever happens, life has to go on (courtesy vaaranam aayiram movie)

18. R – Reason to smile? I really don't need one. I keep smiling.. :):):)

19. S – Season? Rainy season in Chennai. If at all it comes. :)

.20. T – Tag 3 People? Right here????

21. U – Unknown fact about me? Its really unknown

22. V – Vegetable you don't like? Brinjal

23. W – Worst habit? Very naughty. Not sure if it is harmful.

24. X – X-rays you've had? Too many..

25. Y – Your favorite food? Everything I make. I have no choice.

26. Z – Zodiac sign? Pisces.

I am passing this tag and awards to Vedha, Sandhya, Supri and Abhi.

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Channa / Chickpeas Rasam

Rasam is a very vital dish in South Indian lunch menu. When it is so, don't you think its boring to have the same kind everyday??? So planned to make a lot of changes in it everyday. So far I have come up with 14 rasam recipes. Thirst for rasam never ends, fishing for more.. ;)

Channa is a very nutritions legume. It is a helpful source of zinc, folate, proteins and carbohydrates. So this is definitely going to be an amazing diet. ;)


Ingredients:

Channa - 1 cup
Cumin seeds(Jeera) - 1/2 tsp
Pepper - 2 tsp
Red Chillies - 4
Coriander seeds - 2 tsp
Small Onions - 3
Garlic - 3 pods
Coconut - 1 tbsp
White poppy seeds(gasa gasa) - 2 tsp
Tamarind - small lemon sized ball
Jaggery - for taste
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Salt - for taste




Method:

Soak channa over night. Then pressure cook the channa and keep it aside. Now in a pan add a spoon of oil and fry pepper, red chillies, coriander seeds and cumin seeds till it slightly turns brown. Now remove from flame and grind it into a fine puree along with poppy seeds(gasa gasa), 1/2 cup channa, coconut, onions and garlic adding little water to it.

Now take the puree in a vessel and add the remaining 1/2 cup of cooked channa, tamarind paste, jaggery, curry leaves and salt to it and let it boil for a while. Once done season it with mustard and garnish with coriander leaves.

Channa rasam is ready to eat. This rasam really has a spice and yummy taste. :) Its very healthy too. :)

Serve it with hot steamed rice and chips. :) Happy cooking. :)




Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

2 Min Rasam (Pachai Rasam)

If you are basically a very busy person, then this rasam is meant for you. You just need to spare 2 min to make this and sure u would not regret making. Its damn yummy. This rasam is called pachai rasam because we dont use the stove for this. No cooking needed. :) Isn't that a great relief.


Ingredients:

Tamarind - lemon sized ball
Jaggery - for taste
Asafoetida - a pinch
Onion - 1
Green chillies - 2
Salt - for taste
Coriander leaves



Method:

Take the tamarind paste, jaggery, asafoetida and salt in a bowl. Dilute it with enough water. Now add finely chopped onion and coriander leaves to it. Finally season with mustard and finely chopped green chillies. Pachai rasam is done. :) Serve with rice and chips.. :)



Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Koppam Rasam

Seriously!!! I really dunno y this rasam was named Koppam. Mom said so, so do I call it too.. :)

But if I was given a choice to name it, I would call it Aroma Rasam. Because this rasam has a very interesting and yummy smell. You will know when I tell you the secret here..

Ingredients:

Coconut - 1 tblsp
Green Chillies - 4
Garlic - 5 pods
Onion - 1 large
Tamarind - lemon sized ball
Salt - for taste
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Method:

Grind coconut, green chillies, garlic and onion together. Now take this in a bowl, add tamrind paste, salt, curry leaves, coriander leaves and add enough water to it and let it boil for a while. Koppam rasma is ready to eat. :)

Serve with hot steamed rice and chips. :) Variety in samayal makes life interesting. Happy cooking. :)



Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Guest Samayal - Mango Rasam

Ingredients:

Mangoes (Chakara kutty) - 8
Thoor Dhall - 4 tbsp
Chilly powder - 1.5 tsp
Turmeric powder - pinch
Tamarind - Small lemon sized
Jaggery - for taste
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Method:

Make slits in mangoes and let it boil in water for a while. Cook thoor dhall and add a pinch of turmeric powder, tamarind paste, jaggery, asafoetida, chilly powder, salt and curry leaves to it. Now add the mangoes along with the water to the mixture. Allow it to boil for a while Now season it with mustard and garnish with coriander leaves. Mango rasam is ready to eat :)

These types of mangoes have a lot of fiber content in it. Once the mangoes get soaked well, it would give a lovely sweet and hot taste that no one can resist upon. :)

Serve it hot with steamed rice and chips. :) happy eating.

Written by: Bavatharani Rajasekaran

From 4thsensesamayal: Thank you Mrs.Bavatharani Rajasekaran, for taking interest and sending in your recipe to our blog. We are happy to feature it as the guest samayal this week. :) Keep cooking and keep on sending.

Milagu(Pepper) Rasam

Hmmmm you should be wondering why rasam in coffee mug????? WHY NOT!!!! you know! pepper rasam is an awesome appetizer. You can have it as a drink, soup or served with rice. Lets see how to make this multipurpose rasam ;)

Ingredients:

Pepper - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 1/2 tbsp
Coriander seeds - 3 tbsp
Red chillies - 2
Garlic - 10 pods
Tamarind - Small lemon sized ball
Jaggery - for taste
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Salt - to taste

Method:

Grind pepper, jeera, coriander seeds, red chillies and garlic finely. Now transfer the powdered masala to vessel and add tamarind paste, jaggery, asafoetida and salt along with enough water and let it boil for a while in low flame. Finally season it with mustard. Gharam pepper all purpose rasam is ready to serve. :)

Serve it as a soup or with steamed rice and chips. :) This quantity will suffice 4 ppl. Happy eating :)

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

More (Butter milk) Rasam

Guess what!!!!!! you dont need a stove to make this dish. Gas micham you see.. :)

Ingredients:

Coconut - 5 tbsp
Roasted gram (pottu kadalai) - 1 tbsp
Red chillies - 5
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida- pinch
Garlic - 3 pods
Butter milk - 3 cups
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves

Method:

Grind coconut, roasted gram, red chillies, jeera, turmeric powder, asafoetida and garlic together finely. Now add this ground contents to the butter milk along with salt and mix well. Finally season it with mustard and jeera and garnish with curry leaves. You dont have to boil it. This rasam is meant to be cold. More rasam is ready.

People who love curd will like this rasam very much. :) Serve this with hot steamed rice and plain onions. They make a lovely combination.

This quantity will suffice a nuclear family of 4 :) Happy eating :)




Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Parupu (Dhall) Rasam

Ingredients:

Thoor Dhall - 4 tbsp
Tomato - 1 small
Turmeric powder - pinch
Tamarind - Small lemon sized
Chilly powder - 1.5 tsp
Jaggery - for taste
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Method:

Cook thoor dhall and add a pinch of turmeric powder, tamarind paste, jaggery, asafoetida, salt, curry leaves and diced tomatoes to it. Now add adequate water or you can add cabbage stalk or any vegetable stalk to the rasam instead of plain water and let it boil. This will definitely add taste to the rasam and also enrich it with vitamins. Now season it with mustard and garnish with coriander leaves. Gharam garam parupu rasam is ready.

Serve it hot with steamed rice and chips. :) happy eating

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Iyer Rasam

Ingredients:

Thoor Dhall - 2 tbsp
Tomato - 1 small
Red chilly - 1
Green chilly - 1
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - pinch
Tamarind - Small lemon sized
Jaggery - for taste
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Salt - to taste
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Method:

Take cooker thoor dhall in a vessel. Add diced tomatoes, red chilly, green chilly chopped into big pieces, pepper powder, jeera, turmeric powder, tamarind paste, jaggery, asafoetida, curry leaves and finally salt to it and let it boil for a while. Once it is done season it with mustard and garnish with coriander leaves. Hot iyer rasam is ready.

Serve it with hot steamed rice. Infact its yummy to drink it just like that too. Enjoy eating. :)




Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Jeera(Cumin) Rasam

Ingredients:

Thoor Dhall - 2 tbsp
Jeera - 1/2 tbsp
Red chillies - 4
Turmeric powder - pinch
Tamarind - Small lemon sized
Jaggery - for taste
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Salt - to taste

Method:

Powder thoor dhall, jeera and red chillies together in a dry jar. Now put the ground powder in a vessel and add the tamarind paste, turmeric powder, salt, jaggery and asafoetida along with sufficient water to dilute it. Simmer the stove and let it boil for while. Now season it with mustard and jeera. Gama Gama Jeera rasam is ready. :)

Serve it with hot steamed rice and papad. It would suffice a nucler family of 4. Happy eating :)


Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Vegetable Rasam

Ingredients:

Carrot - 1 no.
Tomato - 1 no.
Potato - 1 no.
Beans - 50 gms
Cabbage - 50 gms
Onion - 1 no.
Tamarind - Small lemon sized
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - for taste
Salt - for taste
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Method:

Cook carrot, tomato, potato, cabbage, beans and onion and grind them into a smooth paste. Now add the tamarind paste, jaggery, chilly powder, asafoetida and salt to it and let it boil for a while. Now garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves. Vegetable rasam is ready.

This will form the best portion of a very healthy meal. :) Serve it with hot steamed rice and chips. This quantity can suffice 4 hungry ppl. Happy eating :)

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Araitha(Ground) Rasam

Ingredients:

Thoor Dhall - 2 tblsp
Tomato - 1 Large
Garlic - 10 pods
Pepper - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies - 2
Curry leaves
Tamarind - lemon sized ball
Chilly(saambar) powder - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - for taste
Salt - for taste
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Coriander Leaves

Method:

Cook thoor dhall and keep it aside. Grind tomato, jeera, red chillies, garlic and pepper together. Now add the ground paste to the dhall. Put in salt, asafoetida, tamarind paste and adequate water and let it to boil. Season with mustard and garnish some coriander leaves. Araitha rasam is ready to serve.

Serve it with hot steamed rice along with appalam. It will suffice for 4 servings.

hmmmm I can imagine ppl saying it is almost similar to vaanali rasam. Yeah very true but this rasam includes thoor dhall and the seasoning done at the end gives a different flavour from vaanali rasam. Small variations make big differences na.. ;) Enjoy eating.

And ppl you might ask me y I have been updating rasam recipes only everyday? Good question. Come on I am just learning A B C D of cooking and it will take more time to say chekozlovakia!!! Wait for it plz.. ;)

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Lemon Rasam

Ingredients:

Moong Dhall(green gram dhall) or Thoor Dhall - 2 tblsp
Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 2 nos.
Garlic - 5 pods
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Lemon extract - 1 tblsp
Salt
Turmeric powder - pinch
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Coriander leaves

Method:

Cook dhall and keep it aside. Season mustard, garlic(dice into small pieces), green chillies, Jeera in one spoon of oil and add them to the dhall. Put in pepper powder, turmeric powder, Asafoetida, salt and enough water to it and let it boil. Now switch off the flame and add 1tblsp of lemon extract. Finally garnish with coriander leaves. Lemon rasam ready.

Serve with hot steamed rice and murukku. :) This quantity will suffice for 4 ppl.

This is one other funny presentation of my rasam! :)

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Thakkali (Tomato) Rasam

Tomato Rasam:

Ingredients:

Thoor Dhall - 2 tbl sp
Tomato - 1/4 kg
Tamarind paste - little
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Jaggery - for taste
Salt - for taste
Asafoetida(perungayam) - pinch
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves

Method:

Cook toor dal and along with it add the tomato extract and tamarind paste. Now put in pepper powder, chilly powder, jaggery, salt, coriander leaves and asafoetida and let it to boil. Now season with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Tomato rasam is ready.

Serve it with hot steamed rice and potato chips. :) This quantity can suffice 4 hungry men.

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com

Day 1 Samayal - Vaanali Rasam

Finally mom successfully kick started me and drove me into the kitchen. Started off with a OMG feeling, but I swear its so interesting to cook. Ok Ok no more stories. Off to cooking.

Vaanali(Pan) Rasam

Ingredients:

Tomato - 1 Large
Garlic - 5 pods
Pepper - 1 tsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Mustard - 1/2 tsp
Red Chillies - 2
Fenugreek (Vendhayam) - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves
Tamarind - lemon sized ball
Chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Jaggery - for taste
Salt - for taste
Coriander Leaves


Method:

Grind tomato, Jeera, garlic and pepper together and keep it aside. Add two spoons of oil in the pan and crackle some mustard seeds in it. Add red chillies, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves and fry for a min. Then add the ground mixture to the pan. Now put in some tamarind paste, chilly powder, turmeric powder, jaggery and salt with adequate water added to it and let it boil for a while. Garnish with coriander leaves. Your yummy vaanali rasam is ready. ;)

Serve it with hot steamed rice and appalam. This can sufficiently be served for 4 ppl.

Written by: Nithya
post your queries to fourthsensesamayal@gmail.com