Butter Milk Rasam

Ingredients

For The Masala (makes Approx. 1/2 Cup)
2 tsp ghee
7 to 8 whole dry Kashmiri red chillies, broken into pieces
2 tbsp coriander (dhania) seeds
2 tbspb toovar (arhar) dal
1 1/2 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
1 1/2 tsp peppercorns (kalimirch)
1 tsp asafoetida (hing) 

Other Ingredients

 
1/4 cup toovar (arhar) dal
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
salt to taste
2 tsp ghee or coconut oil or any other refined oil
1 tsp mustard seeds (rai /saraon)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 whole dry Kashmiri red chillies, broken into pieces
6 to 7 curry leaves (kadi patta)
1 cup sour buttermilk

Method

For the dry masala powder

Heat the ghee in a small pan, add all the ingredients and sauté on a slow flame while stirring continuously till the flavour releases (approx. 5 to 7 minutes). Keep aside.

When cool, blend in a mixer to a fine powder. Keep aside.

How to proceed

Combine the toovar dal, tomatoes, salt and 1 cup of water, mix well and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles.

Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Whisk it lightly.

Add 1½ tbsp of the prepared masala, mix well and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

For the tempering, heat the ghee in a small pan and add the mustard seeds.

When the seeds crackle, add the cumin seeds, red chillies and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds.

Pour the tempering over the dal mixture, mix well and

Add the buttermilk and salt (if required) and mix well. Serve hot.

Handy tip:

You require little quantity of the masala, however to grind such a less quantity is not feasible hence prepare it in bulk and store in an air-tight container to use later.