Vengayam Rasam / Onion Rasam

Vengayam Rasam is a South Indian soup which is prepared using shallots. Though this recipe sounds simple, it is very special for me as it's my granny's recipe. Normal onions can also be used in this recipe but adding shallots enhances the flavor of rasam. No grinding and spice powders required for this rasam. Easy to prepare yet flavorful and this goes well with hot rice along with kootu,poriyal and spicy curries.

Ingredients :

1 Tbsp Oil
1/2 Tsp Mustard seeds
1/4 Tsp Methi seeds / Vendhayam
1 Tbsp Chana dal / Kadalai parupu
A pinch of Hing / Perungayam
4 Dry red chillies, cut into half
1/4 Tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 Cup Small onions, finely chopped
Salt to taste
Lemon sized Tamarind, soak in water
Handful of Curry leaves
Handful of Coriander leaves

Method :

Extract juice from the soaked tamarind and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds followed by methi seeds, chana dal, hing and dry red chillies.

Fry and add finely chopped onions and Turmeric powder.

Saute well and add curry leaves followed by coriander leaves and tamarind extract.

Add 1/2 cup water, salt and let it boil.

Switch off the flame immediately after the first boil. ( Do not boil it for long time)

Remove and serve hot.

Serving Options :

Serve hot with rice along with kootu, poriyal/ stir fries and spicy curries like potato fry, vazhakai fry etc..

Poached Eggs in Chicken Rasam

I am sure that Chicken Lovers will never say "No" to this Flavorful Rasam . This is completely my innovation which I tried very long back and got posted in an online magazine “Channel 6 “. 

Am a big fan of “Peter Kuruvita” a well known srilankan  chef and never miss his television shows. I love his style of preparing stock with fresh chillies, curry leaves etc and adding it to the curry. And that inspiration, made me to try this delicious chicken rasam. Poaching eggs in a simmering rasam will enhance the taste of rasam and eggs. This can be served with hot Rice and chicken gravy.

Try this flavorful Rasam instead of the regular ones and enjoy your meal.

Ingredients:

• 3 Eggs
• ¼ Tsp Turmeric Powder
• Handful of curry leaves
• Handful of Coriander leaves
• Salt to taste
• ½ Cup Tamarind Juice (Extracted from a gooseberry sized tamarind)

For Chicken Stock:

• 5-6 Pieces of boned chicken
• 1 Green Chilli
• 4 Garlic pods
• Few Curry leaves
• 1 ½ Cups Water

For grinding:

• 1 Tsp Jeera / Cumin
• ½ Tbsp Peppercorns
• 5 Garlic Pods
• 2 Tomatoes

For Tempering:

• 1 Tbsp Oil
• 1 Tsp Mustard seeds
• A pinch of hing
• 2 Dry red chillies 

Method:

• Add boned chicken pieces along with garlic pods, curry leaves, green chilli and water in a pan.

• Simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

• Remove only the boned chicken and take the flesh part of it.

• Discard the bones and retain the remaining ingredients along with the stock.

• Meanwhile, coarsely grind the ingredients given in “For Grinding” list and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.

• Once it starts spluttering, add hing followed by the dry red chillies.

• Add the coarsely ground paste and sauté well.

• Add the tamarind juice and chicken stock along with the removed flesh, garlic, curry leaves and green chilli.

• Add curry leaves, coriander leaves and salt and cook for 3-4 minutes.

• Simmer the flame, break the eggs and slowly drop them in the rasam.

• Close the lid and cook for 10 minutes. (Do not mix or disturb the rasam )

• Once the eggs got poached, switch off the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

• Serve hot.

Serving Options:

Serve hot with rice.