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Garlic Rasam with Freshly Ground Spices

In this Garlic Rasam recipe, the essence comes from a few wonderful, aromatic spices fried and ground, and cooked with the flavor and goodness of Garlic. It is healthy and delicious.

Course Gravy, Stew
Cuisine Indian
Diet Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword Garlic, Spices
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

Ingredients to Grind

  • 2 tbsp Channa Dahl
  • 2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
  • 2 tsp Urad Dahl
  • 2 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 2 Dried Red Chillies
  • ½ Whole Black Peppercorns
  • 1 tsp Oil
  • 4 Curry Leaves
  • ¼ cup Cilantro chopped

Ingredients for the Rasam

  • 10 - 15 Garlic Cloves peeled, cut into thick slices
  • 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
  • 1 tsp Hing asafoetida
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 2 tsp Tamarind Paste
  • 4 - 6 Curry Leaves
  • ⅛ cup Cilantro finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp Rice Flour for a thick consistency
  • 2 tbsp Oil

Instructions

Prepare the Spices

  1. Place a sauce pan on medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon oil. When oil is hot, add the channa dahl, urad dahl, red chillies, black peppercorns and coriander seeds to the pan. Stir fry with a flat spatula until the channa dahl and urad dahl turn golden brown or slightly roasted. Do not fry too much.

  2. Add the cumin seeds and stir-fry for 10 seconds. Turn off the stove.

  3. Immediately transfer the contents to a small bowl. Set aside and let it cool for about 5 minutes.

Grind the Spices

  1. Place the stir-fried ingredients as well as other ingredients specified in the "ingredients to grind" list, in a blender.

  2. Add water until the ingredients are well immersed in the water.

  3. Grind until the paste is smooth. If necessary, add water a little at a time to make the grinding easy. It is okay if the mixure becomes a little runny, as long as the ingredients are ground well, as much as possible. Very slightly coarse is okay too. Transfer mixture to a bowl. Set aside.

Prepare the Garlic Rasam

  1. Place the sauce pan again on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil.

  2. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When mustard seeds crackle rapidly, lower the heat and add 4 cups of water.

  3. Add the garlic pieces, turmeric, curry leaves and salt to the water. Stir with a large spoon or ladle. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until garlic is soft and cooked well. Don't overcook the garlic.

  4. Add tamarind and hing. Cook for 2 minutes. Switch off the stove and let the rasam cool off for 5 minutes.

  5. If you add thick ground spice mixture to very hot garlic rasam on the stove, the mixture will form clumps instead of blending smoothly in the rasam. Therefore, if the ground spice mixture is too thick and pasty, add 1/4 cup water to it and make it thin.

  6. Add the ground spice mixture to the sauce pan with the garlic rasam that is cook or lukewarm. If the rasam in the saucepan is still too thick, add 1/2 cup of water at a time. Rasam is usually on the thinner side, not thick like Sambar.

  7. Turn on the stove to low heat. Add the chopped cilantro. Mix well. Let the Rasam simmer for 2 minutes.

  8. Serve the Rasam hot, on a hot bed of rice.

  9. You can serve cooked vegetables as a side dish, and Raita (if you are not vegan). Potato chips will also go well with Garlic Rasam.