Instant Rasam Powder

 Another staple when I was in college was my mom's instant rasam powder. Quick and easy to make during finals or when I was not feeling well. Now I make this for my kids.

Ingredients:

5 Tablespoons Coriander seeds

2 Tablespoons Toor dal

1 Tablespoons Channa dal

1 Tablespoon Black peppercorn

1 teaspoon Cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon Fenugreek seeds

15 dried red chili

1/2 teaspoon Mustard seeds

1 lemon size tamarind

1 Handful Curry leaves

1/2 teaspoon Asafoetida

1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder

salt to taste

For Tempering:

1 teaspoon Ghee

1 teaspoon Mustard seeds

2-3 dried Red chili, halved

10 Curry leaves

Method:

1. Dry roast coriander seeds, cumin, toor dal, channa dal, peppercorn, fenugreek, mustard seeds, red chili, curry leaves, and tamarind. Allow to cool

2. Powder the roasted ingredients in a blender. Mix salt, turmeric, and asafoetida. 

3. Temper mustard seeds, red chili, and curry leaves. Allow to cool and mix with rasam powder. Store in air tight container. 

To Make Rasam:

1. In a medium saucepan, mix 2-3 teaspoons of Instant Rasam Powder in 2 cups of water. Add 1 chopped tomato to it. Bring it to boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from stove.

2. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro. 

3. Serve over hot rice or in a cup like soup.

Instant Sambar Powder

 When my kids went to college, I made several ready to make Indian food, like pongal mix, lemon rice mix, coconut rice mix, tomato rice paste, tamarind rice paste. The best think my son likes is instant sambar and instant rasam. My mom used to make this for me when I was in college. Instant sambar powder has toor dal, tamarind, and all spices needed for sambar in it. You can make sambar within 15 minutes

Ingredients for making powder:

1 Cup Toor dal

4 Tablespoons Coriander seeds

4 Tablespoons Channa dal

1 Teaspoon Fenugreek seeds

4 Tablespoons dry coconut

lemon size tamarind 

Handful fresh curry leaves

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon asafoetida powder

salt to taste

Ingredients for tempering:

1 Teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Curry leaves

4 dried red chili broken in halves

Method:

1. Dry roast separately, toor dal, coriander seeds, channa dal, fenugreek seeds, tamarind, dry coconut, and curry leaves. Allow to cool.

2. Powder the roasted ingredients in a blender. Remove from blender. Mix turmeric powder, asafoetida, and salt to it.

3. Heat oil in a small pan and temper mustard seeds, curry leaves, and red chili. Allow to cool.

4. Add to the ground sambar powder. Store in air tight container in a cool place. 

To make Sambar:

1. In a medium saucepan, sauté the vegetable for sambar in 1 teaspoon oil for 5 minutes, until soft.

2. Add 1 cup water to the saucepan and bring to boil.

3. Mix 3 teaspoons Instant Sambar Powder with 1 cup of water. Stir this into the saucepan. Boil for 2-4 minutes. Add water if required. Taste and add salt if needed. 

4. Serve over hot rice. 

Notes:

1. You can use tamarind powder instead of tamarind.

2. You can use vegetables like pumpkin, Indian eggplant, or onion for making sambar.