Fast and Easy Weekday Dinner: Rasam Rice

If you've read my previous posts, you are aware of my love for all things South Indian. I remember having Rasam only one or twice during my childhood, and never really made it myself until a year ago. Last winter, I visited a friend who is South Indian and she made Rasam for dinner. It felt so good to have the simple but yet complex spicy-tangy-watery Rasam with rice! So during the next trip to the Indian store, I bought a packet of MTR Rasam Powder. Please note that this is NOT an authentic recipe, and cooks from South Indian homes will be appalled that I am using a store-bought Rasam powder, but this recipe is quick and easy and a great way of cooking up a meal with less time and effort. This is also a great recipe for students or new cooks.

Ingredients
Toor Dal : 4 tablespoons
Oil : 1 tablespoons
Garlic : 3 cloves, finely chopped
Curry Leaves : 4-5
Jaggery: 1 teaspoon
Tomato : 2, finely chopped
Tamarind paste : 1 tablespoon
Red Chilly Powder : 1 teaspoon
Salt : 1.5 teaspoons, or as needed
Rasam Powder (I used MTR's) : 1 tablespoon
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin Seeds : 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 teaspoon
Coriander Leaves (Optional) : 1/2 cup, finely chopped

Procedure
1) Boil toor daal with 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and about 3 cups of water until fully cooked and soft.
2) In a pan, boil a cup of water with tamarind paste.
3) When the above mixture starts coming to a boil, add the mashed toor daal, curry leaves, jaggery,  tomatoes, chopped garlic, rasam powder, red chilly powder, and salt.
4) Bring to a boil and then simmer for 10 minutes. The rasam is supposed to be more on the watery side, so adjust the water as required. 
5) Do a taste-test and add more spice/tamarind/salt as required.
6) In another pan or kadhai, heat 1 tablespoon oil and once it is hot enough, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they splutter, add the oil into the rasam and mix well.
7) Let it simmer for 6-7 more minutes and if required, add some finely chopped coriander leaves at the end (I was too lazy to do it).

Serve piping hot with rice!

Healthy and Yum Vegetable Corn Chowder

Corn chowder is great to have as a soup on the side, or with rustic bread as a wholesome meal. I don't usually cook with meat so I kept this version mostly vegetarian (I did add chicken broth, but you can easily substitute for vegetable broth). Corn chowder has a ton of veggies in it so its very nutritious and great for you.
I love it when healthy does not directly translate to cardboard eating.

Ingredients
Frozen (or fresh, boiled) corn - 1 and 1/4 cup
Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon
Onions - 1 small, chopped
Garlic - 2 cloves, finely chopped
Thyme - 1/2 teaspoon
Rosemary - 1/2 teaspoon
Boiled Potatoes - 2 small, chopped into bite sized chunks
Celery - 1 stalk, chopped
Carrots - 1, peeled and chopped
Red Bell Pepper - 1/2, chopped
Zucchini  - 1/2 cup when chopped
Milk - 1/2 cup
Chicken (or vegetable) broth - 1/2 cup
All Purpose Flour - 2 tablespoons
Salt - 1 teaspoon, or to taste
Pepper - 1/2 teaspoon, or to taste

Procedure
1) Chop all the veggies and set them aside. Pulse 1 cup corn in a blender with 1/2 cup water until they are a chunky paste.
2) Heat olive oil in a pan or soup pot and add garlic and onions. Saute till onions are translucent.
3) Add thyme and rosemary and saute for a minute.
4) Add the veggies : carrots, celery, bell pepper, potatoes, zucchini. Throw in some salt and pepper and saute for 3-4 minutes on medium flame.
5) Add the corn puree and stir.
6) Add the chicken broth and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes on a medium-low flame.
7) In a cup, stir together milk and all purpose flour until no lumps remain.
8) Add the milk to the pot and stir.
9) Let it simmer for a few minutes and then do a taste-test to check if you need to add salt or pepper. You can also choose to add some water if soup appears too thick, but chowder tastes best when its slightly on the thicker side.
10) Add the remaining 1/4 cup corn and serve warm!

This soup is reminiscent of the Veg. Sweet Corn soup that is popular in India.

Hearty Italian Veggie Soup

There are some days when all you want is a nice and warm bowl of soup. This Italian Veggie Soup is perfect for one of those days, and feels especially satisfying on cold winter nights. It is like a carnival of flavors and is really and canvas, that you can play with endlessly to match your preferences. This soup goes really well with Garlic Pull-Apart Rolls or freshly baked dinner rolls.

Ingredients
Olive Oil - 2 tablespoons
Garlic - 3-4 cloves
Onion - 1 small
Diced Green Bell Pepper - 1 cup
Carrot - 1
Canned Crushed Tomatoes - 1 cup
Frozen Corn - 1/4 cup
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes - about a teaspoon, or to taste
Salt - 2-3 teaspoons or to taste
Dried Rosemary - 1 teaspoon
Dried Thyme - 1 teaspoon
Chicken broth - 1 cup
Water - 0.5 cup
Italian Seasoning - 1 teaspoon or to taste

Procedure
1) Get all your ingredients ready - mince the garlic, dice the onion (does not have to be too fine), peel and dice the carrot and the bell pepper.
2) In a soup pot or a pan, start heating the olive oil on medium heat. You can substitute for vegetable or canola if you don't have olive oil on hand.
3) One the oil is heated enough, throw in the minced garlic and diced onion and saute for two minutes, until the onion and garlic start browning on the edges.
3) Add in the carrot and bell pepper and saute for two more minutes. You can also add other veggies that you like at this step (artichokes, boiled potatoes, zucchini) or omit some that you don't.
4) Add the crushed tomatoes and cook until bubbles appear on the surface and around the edges.
5) Add the chicken broth and half a cup water and mix well.
6) Add in the seasonings - crushed red bell pepper, salt, thyme, rosemary.
If I ever met the person who discovered thyme and rosemary, I would hug them for 10 minutes. Maybe more.
7) Let the soup cook for about 7-8 minutes on medium heat. Add the corn and let it cook for a minute more. Do a taste-test and adjust the seasonings until you love the balance of the flavors. Add water if the soup appears too thick.

Sprinkle some more Italian seasoning while serving the soup. A spoonful of pesto mixed just before serving also gives a very interesting dimension to this soup!

Serve warm with pull apart rolls, dinner rolls, or a Foccacia and enjoy your supper!