16 replies to this topic

[Nichiro]

IYENGAR RASAM POWDER............By Vishwanath Kamath

Mr. Vishwanath Kamath is an unsung master chef specializing in South Indian (Karnataka) Brahmin cuisine. He works for a caterer.

Iyengars are a group of people having distinctly different language, food habits and their culture.

Iyengar Rasam , sambar and Puliodhirais are loved by one and all.
I am bringing Mr. Kamath's first recipe of Iyengar Rasam Powder.
I will give the Bulk recipe and side by side recipe measurements for home usage.

INGREDIENTS  


BULK MEASUREMENT

Fenugreek.........400 gms
Jeera.............450 gms
Black pepper......300 gms
Dhania ..........1000 gms
Salem chillies....500 gms
Bedagi chillies...500 gms
Mustard...........100 gms
Real Asafoetida...7 to10 gms
Curry leaves......150 gms (Only Leaves)
Turmeric .........25 gms
Cooking oil.......125 gms


HOUSEHOLD MEASUREMENT

Fenugreek......... 60 gms
Jeera............ .....70 gms
Black pepper...... 45 gms
Dhania .......... ...150 gms
Salem chillies.... ...75gms
Bedagi chillies.... ..75gms
Mustard........... ....15gms
Real Asafoetida....2 pinches
Curry leaves...... ..2 sprigs
Turmeric ........ ......1/2 tsp
Cooking oil............1.5 tbsp


Method Of Preparation  


Take an Iron Kadai and first dry roast, Fenugreek,Jeera and Mustard. Roast till Fenugreek
becomes pinkish brown and mustard starts popping.Remove from Kadai and let them cool.

Now add oil in Kadai and first put Black pepper. Once black pepper starts bursting,
add chillies and Dhania and Turmeric roots (Piece them before putting for frying).
Go on turning with a spatula to give equal frying.
Once chillies assume a silken shine on the surface, immediately add curry leaves.
Turn three four times and remove from kadai and immediately spread on a polythene sheet/cloth.
Once the mixture becomes cold, add Hing (Asafoetida) and powder.


Note:
In bulk or home usage, chillies stalk is not to be removed.
Enjoy this powder for preparation of Iyengar Rasam.
_________________

[jason gogal]

*bookmark*

Thanks Nichiro!  Great recipe submission.  Will try this method next time I make rasam powder.

[shanta]

Hing discussion continues here.

[sangeeta]

nichiro ,
i was going through your rasam recipe....can u tell me wat is the difference between the two types of chillies used.....and the effect if i use ony one kind....the amount to be substituted...

was thinking of making the puliyogare mix and keeping it ready...also was waiting for the other style of mix recipe

edit to add:also if i use ground haldi at the end....do not have the roots.

thank you
sangeeta

Edited by sangeeta, 09 August 2005 - 09:54 PM.

[jason gogal]

Hi sangeeta, if I may suggest possible answers to your questions:

One chili is for flavor and the other is for heat.

Ground haldi should be fine.

This is a really good rasam powder! It's pretty dark in color (maybe it was just the anchos I used). I bet puliyogare gojju made with it would be fantastic.

[Nichiro]

sangeeta, on Aug 9 2005, 09:50 PM, said:

nichiro ,
i was going through your rasam recipe....can u tell me wat is the difference between the two types of chillies used.....and the effect if i use ony one kind....the amount to be substituted...

was thinking of making the puliyogare mix and keeping it ready...also was waiting for the other style of mix recipe

edit to add:also if i use ground haldi at the end....do not have the roots.

thank you
sangeeta

Hello Sangu,

Jason has done a very good job in explaining. It is correct.

Try this gojju. I bet you would love to have it often.
You can use ground Haldi. No problem.

[shanta]

Type of chilli discissions continue here.

[Sue Darlow]

Hello Nichiro

Thanks for the recipe.  I actually have some Bedgi chillies and also another locally available hot variety, so it should turn out well!

However, although I will make the above one day when I have time, I wonder if you have a quick'n'easy recipe for tomato rasam for someone who has no prepared rasam powder?  After my visit to Punitha's I am yearning for it.

Thanks,

Sue

[Nichiro]

 Sue Darlow, on Aug 30 2009, 07:40 AM, said:

Hello Nichiro

Thanks for the recipe.  I actually have some Bedgi chillies and also another locally available hot variety, so it should turn out well!

However, although I will make the above one day when I have time, I wonder if you have a quick'n'easy recipe for tomato rasam for someone who has no prepared rasam powder?  After my visit to Punitha's I am yearning for it.

Thanks,

Sue

Sue,

Ok, here goes the method for quick n easy rasam powder especially for Tomato rasam.

Take about slightly more than quarter spoon(tsp) of methi seeds. Fry them till biscuit brown in ghee (you should get a fine aroma).
Take 1/2 tsp of Jeera and quarter tsp of Black pepper. Heat them up in the same kadai/vessel as you fried methi seeds (it must still be hot) . After about a couple of minutes, remove from kadai. Add fried methi seeds to that and add 1/2 tsp of chili powder to that, add a little Hing and powder the whole thing in a mixi. I add fresh curry leaves for extra zingy flavour.Steam cook tomatoes after deseeding them. I add little onion pieces and a couple of cloves of Garlic with tomatoes for steam cooking. Puree that , add enough water and add fresh rasam powder and add a little of lime juice . When boiling is over after 5 minutes, give a tadka of jeera and red chili . Enjoy hot.

Some people make Tomato rasam without pureeing tomatoes.

Nichiro

Salt is a must but a pinch of sugar is an option.
Souring medium can also be watery tamarind water with tomato pieces floating in them.
In such a case add curry leaves and whole red chili in tadka.

Edited by Nichiro, 30 August 2009 - 06:20 PM.

[Sue Darlow]

Nichiro, thanks for the recipe and sorry I didn't do so you before.  I haven't made it yet, but will post about it when I do.

[caliente]

Thanks for the recipe sir. I made rasam using this rasam powder tonight and it has come out really well.

[Nichiro]

 caliente, on Oct 13 2009, 06:51 PM, said:

Thanks for the recipe sir. I made rasam using this rasam powder tonight and it has come out really well.

caliente,

Welcome to our community.

Thanks for the feedback. I really appreciate it.

Nichiro

[Mamallan]

there is no such thing as iyengar rasam powder. you probably mean iyengar sAtrumadhu powder.

[Nichiro]

 Mamallan, on Oct 14 2009, 02:20 PM, said:

there is no such thing as iyengar rasam powder. you probably mean iyengar sAtrumadhu powder.

mamallan,

the recipe for Iyengar Rasam powder has been given to me by a  master cook Vishwanath Kamath and I take his word as gospel . Just as there is Gujarati Dal, Bangla Bhaja Mooger Dal, there is Iyengar Rasam.

For that matter I have been given a recipe for Gounder Rasam which is in my website. This recipe was given to me by a Gounder Lady who told me that this is how her grandma and in turn her grandma used to prepare thick rasam. So there is no Gounder Rasam?

Nichiro

[seeker]

i think mamallan is just trying to say that iyengars call rasam sattumadhu. it doesn't affect your recipe in any way. in any case, outside the home, it is referred to as iyengar rasam, iyengar rasam podi etc.

[Nichiro]

 seeker, on Oct 14 2009, 11:09 PM, said:

i think mamallan is just trying to say that iyengars call rasam sattumadhu. it doesn't affect your recipe in any way. in any case, outside the home, it is referred to as iyengar rasam, iyengar rasam podi etc.

seeker,

you may be correct but I have not heard Kannada Iyengars(Hebbar) referring to Rasam as sattumadhu.
They call rasam as rasam.
May be the name differs from state to state.

Nichiro

[Sue Darlow]

Nichiro,

I made the quick n easy tomato rasam and it came out well.  You said to "steam" the tomatoes, I just boiled them with some water, onions and garlic, and didn't deseed them (but I had previously skinned them).  Then I pureed it all and strained, so the result was more like tomato soup than rasam, but tasty all the same.  Also, it is imossible to grind just a few curry leaves and a couple of teaspoons of spices, so I added a a couple of small tomatos in the grinder to give it some volume.

I guess I need to make your rasam powder!

Today, dal and tamatar rasam.