Buttermilk Rasam Recipe (South Indian Mor Rasam)

Ingredients

• 1 tsp ghee
• 7 to 8 whole dry Kashmiri red chilli, broken into pieces
• 2 tbsp coriander (dhania) seeds
• 2 tbsp toovar (arhar) dal
• 1 1/2 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp peppercorns (kalimirch)
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1 cup sour buttermilk
• 1/4 cup toovar (arhar) dal
• 1/4 cup chopped tomato
• salt (namak) to taste
• 1 tsp ghee
• 1 tsp mustard seeds (rai / sarson)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 whole dry Kashmiri red chilli, broken into pieces
• 6 to 7 curry leaves (kadi patta)

Steps

1. 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. 4 to 5 minutes).
2. Allow it cool slightly and then blend in a mixer to a smooth powder. Keep aside.
3. To make butter milk rasam, combine the toovar dal, tomatoes, salt and 1 cup of water, mix well and pressure cook for 4 whistles.
4. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Whisk it lightly.
5. Add 1½ tbsp of the prepared masala, mix well and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
6. For the tempering, heat the ghee in a small pan and add the mustard seeds.
7. When the seeds crackle, add the cumin seeds, red chillies and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds.
8. Pour the tempering over the dal mixture, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 minute.
9. Remove from the flame and add the buttermilk and salt (if required) and mix well. Serve the butter milk rasam immediately.
10. 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.