Udupi Rasam from Ingredients

Udupi Rasam from basic ingredients

We have visited Sri Udupi Krishna Temple a couple of times. When we plan a trip to Udupi, it will be for a few days to enjoy the scenery and atmosphere. On a few occasions, we had the opportunity to enjoy the Udupi Rasam prepared inside the temple premises. I have also observed, Rasam comes first followed by Sambar in the sequence while serving. You might have rightly guessed the reason. Let us enjoy the Rasam from basics. The Udupi Rasam is made from freshly prepared Udupi Rasam Powder, Udupi Sambar Masala and a process. The aroma will be attracting the children, adults and the elders alike, all falling under the Shakespear’s Seven Ages of Man.

Udupi Rasam	Masala
Dried red chillies	25-30 Nos
Mustard	1/2 tsp
Curry leaves	6 to 8
Cumin seeds	2 tsp
Coriander seeds	2 tbs
Urad dal	2 tbs
Methi seeds	2 tbs
tsp	tea spoon
tbs	table spoon

Udupi Sambar	Masala
Urad Dahl	1 tbs
Chena Dahl	1/2 tbs
Coriander seeds	1 tbs
Cumin seeds	2 tsp
Fenugreek Seeds	1/2 tsp
Red Chilli	4-6 Big_Med
Coconut Grated	1 cup
tsp	tea spoon
tbs	table spoon

Ingredients	Udupi Rasam
Tomato	2 nos
Tur Dahl	1/2 cup
Tamarind Paste	1 tbs
Green Chilli	2 nos split
Turmeric	1/2 tsp
Jaggery	2-3 tbs
Coriander Leaves	chopped
Curry Leaves	6 to 8
Asafoetida	1 pinch
Lemon	1/2 medium
tsp	tea spoon
tbs	table spoon

Preparation of Udupi Tomato Rasam Powder

Preheat a kadai for a few minutes to drive out water particles and moisture. Dry fry Chillies, mustard and curry leaves in a medium heat for a couple of minutes. Then add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, urad dahl followed by fenugreek seeds, turning the ingredients slowly and steadily. Turn off the heat, when the Urad dahl turn brownish and allow the ingredients to cool off in the kadai itself for 10 to 15 minutes. 

Now dry grind the cooled ingredients into powder. You can safely name this powder as home ground masala for Udupi Tomato Rasam. Since it is done out of contact with moisture, the powder will last long. This powder shall be used by us for making the Tomato Rasam Udupi Style. 

This concludes the preparation of Udupi Tomato Rasam Powder. 

Preparation of Udupi Sambar Masala Powder

Preheat a kadai for a few minutes to drive out water particles and moisture. Fry separately Chena dahl for a few minutes till it turns light brownish. Keep it separate. Dry fry Chillies, Urad dahl, Coriander seeds, Cumin seeds, Fenugreek for 2-3 minutes. Then add grated coconut and fry for 1-2 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the ingredients to cool off in the kadai itself for 10 to 15 minutes. Since all the ingredients are dry fried, you can store the sambar powder in an airtight container free from moisture for atleast a week.

This concludes the preparation of Udupi Sambar Masala Powder

Preparation of Udupi Tomato Rasam- Fine cooking

Slice and Cut tomato into small pieces. If you are interested you can follow the simple technique for Shredding Tomato.

Wash and clean the Tur dahl in water repeatedly till the foam gets cleared and you are able to see the grains clearly. The washing and cleaning will also get rid of any water soluble pesticides. Add small quantity of water and then add the shredded tomatoes. Keep the pressure cooker under high heat for 3 whistles and  spare a good 15 minutes to cool off inside the pressure cooker.  

Now with a potato masher, mash the dahl-tomato to a fine paste like consistency.

Transfer the tamarind paste, salt, green chillies, turmeric and Jaggery in a thick stainless steel utensil. Add half a cup of water to this utensil. Then add cooked and mashed dahl-tomato paste. Add 2 teaspoon of Sambar Masala Powder and curry leaves. Boil for 3-5 minutes. You can now add 2 cups of water to the concentrate and dilute the rasam. Heat it again after adding water to boil and allow the rasam to cool. You can heat cooking oil separately and add Mustard seeds. When the sputtering stops, transfer the contents into the rasam. If you like add Asafoetida and lemon juice to taste. In the last after the rasam settles down, add finely chopped coriander leaves evenly as a sign off. You can now cover the rasam with a lid, to contain the flavour. 

Rangarajan Ramaswamy Bangalore 26.08.2013

Puliodharai Temple Madapalli

Puliodharai Temple Madapalli Style

My father used to offer Puliodharai for Sri Parthasarathy Perumal during 1950’s, by paying the specified amount. As a 10 year old kid, I vividly remember the cook in the madapalli spreading the steaming Puliodharai Rice over the oily granite stone slab, maintained for decades using a long wooden ladle. The heart gets filled with the aroma emanating from the madapalli. The soaked gingili oil in the granite stone, used for decades along with the masala is contributing to the distinct taste , which no body can replicate. Those days, the Gingili oil used to be extracted from sesame seeds by crushing using the ox-driven shaft. This is the uniqueness attributed to the Triplicane Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Temple Puliodharai. I do not think any one can claim, he/she can replicate the taste and aroma attributed to the  Triplicane Sri Parthasarathy Swamy Temple Puliodharai. 

Ingredients	for Pulikachal
Tamarind:	Apple size
Turmeric powder	1 teaspoon
Chenna Dahl	2 table spoon
Udad Dahl	2 table spoon
Red Chillies	12 to 15 nos
Asafoetida	2 teaspoon
Gingili Oil	1/2 to 3/4 cup
Jaggery pieces	2 table spoon
Curry Leaves	5 to 8
Salt	to taste

Puli Kachal	Powder
Coriander seeds	2 Table spoon
Black Pepper	2 Table spoon
Fenugreek seeds	½ cup
Groundnut Raw	2 Table spoon
Curry leaves	12 to 15 dried
Red chili	4 Nos

Ingredients	for Rice
Rice	2 cup
Water	5 to 6 cups

Cooking the Rice : Do not use aromatic rice

Look for and remove stones, if any, for not repenting later on. Clean the rice repeatedly till the starch goes out. You should be able to see individual grains clearly. You can use slightly less than usual water, for steaming. This is to prevent the cooked rice from getting soggy. I normally dip my fingers and decide the water to be added using the middle finger Phalanges for the ratios, as practiced by my elder generations. Cover the top of the rice with a lid with holes to allow the steam to pass through and at the same time, avoiding the cooked rice from splashing. Cook it in the Pressure cooker for 3 whistles and allow a good 15 to 20 minutes to cool off. Do not touch the whistle. I have used Sona Masoori Rice for this preparation. 
This concludes the preparation of cooked rice for the Puliodharai.

Gingili Oil made by Idhayam is good for making the Puliodharai Rice. I normally use only this Idhayam Oil after trying out other oils.

Preparation of Pulikachal Powder

The Red Chillies may not be cut into pieces. At the maximum, it can be cut into 2 pieces. The user can hand pick and set aside the Red Chillies and savour the rest. I am incorporating this, as one of the suggestions from a viewer.

Preheat a kadai to eliminate any water or moisture. Dry fry all above ingredients on a slow fire. Allow the ingredients to cool off in the kadai itself. This will avoid moisture from playing havoc. Then grind them coarsely in a dry mixi. Divide into 2 parts. Each Half portion is to be used for making the Pulikachal Paste and also for the rice in the powdery form. Cover the portions and keep them handy, lest you may forget. 

This concludes the preparation of Pulikachal Powder for the Puliodharai.

Preparation of Tamarind Extract

Soak the tamarind in warm water for ½ hour. As the tamarind is getting soaked, you can prepare a good cup of coffee and enjoy the drink. Then repeatedly squeeze the juice concentrate out and store separately. You can add water after each squeezing to get maximum juice extract.

I suggest you should wear an apron and a specs used for reading to protect yourself, while preparing the concentrate, as the tamarind extract will splash during heating. Take a thick bottom kadai and add oil. Apply low heat, when oil gets fuming add mustard seeds. When mustard seed starts spluttering, add dahls, chillies, curry leaves and Asafoetida on it. Fry till the dhals, curry leaves are golden brown. Normally I add Chena dahl first and after it turns light brown, I take it out and keep it separately to avoid Chena dahl from turning black. Now add the tamarind Juice, salt and the first portion of the Pulikachal Powder. Then add the shaved Jaggery. Keep the flame in low fire and keep stirring till the concentrate reduces and the oil starts floating. At this stage you can switch off the flame and allow the concentrate to cool in the same kadai for atleast 5 to 10 minutes. Do not cover the concentrate as it is cooling off.

This concludes the preparation of Pulikachal Extract from Ingredients.

Preparation of Puliodharai Rice

After rice is well cooked, transfer the rice into large tray. Add above seasonings, the second  part of the dry Pulikachal Powder and soft turn the mix well with flat spatula. Do not apply force. Add the Puliodharai Extract in small stages, until you are satisfied with the colour and uniformity. You can always store the excess Puliodharai Extract for later use. This will result in the Puliodharai with individually distinct, uniformly coated masala and colour, appealing to the eyes. During the cooling, switch off the fan and avoid cool breeze and air draft. 

Do’s and Dont’s

Avoid touching the Puliodharai preparation at any point of time.  

Avoid use of any damp cloth, spoon etc during the preparation.      

Use dried and flat wooden spatula for turning the Puliodharai.
Add little bit of Idhayam Gingeli oil, if the Puliodharai is too dry.

Do not use aromatic rice like Basmati.          

Switch off fan, exhaust during cooling.                                          

Use side dishes like Curd, Papad etc.

Serve in a plate with Curd, Potato Chips and spoon. Keep the fan at minimum while enjoying the Puliodharai. For a good curd setting you can go through my post :

http://kitchenpride.blogspot.in/2013/01/curd-setting-in-earthen-pot.html

I am interested to know more about your blogs and posts.

Rangarajan Ramaswamy Bangalore 24.08.2013 

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Rangarajan Ramaswamy was born at Madras in 1944.  Had the Primary & secondary education in the Hindu HighSchool, Triplicane. Studied in Alagappa Chettiar College of Engineering in Karaikudi and passed out in BE(Hons) in Mechanical Engineering in July 1967. Worked in Hindustan Machine Tools in Ajmer for 18 years and in 1985 established Srinivasa Systems Services, inaugurated by his father on 22 nd August 1985 at Bangalore. As the first generation entrepreneur, struggled in the initial stages and executed various Projects successfully in Asset Management System utilising Barcode Technology Concepts.  Practising a dual hobby of cooking and rare coins collections and preservation since childhood days. I have started blogging through the encouragement and initiation by one of our very close family friends Vaishnavi, who was kind enough to explain the basics and concepts. I shall appreciate any kind of encouragement and feedback for improvements in this direction.  Wishing you all the best.

Rangarajan Bangalore  12 th Jan 2013.

Dear Viewers : About Blogs and Posts I wish to express my happiness over the encouragements and feedbacks I received from the viewers, during the threshold period. I have incorporated some of the suggestions like providing a dual option for Mobile/ Laptop viewing, Full Screen Grid Concept, Software like features etc reflecting my experiences in various fields like, cooking, coins collection, photography etc complementing each other. You may store this particular Link, as it may remain over a fairly long period of time to come. I always value and respect your  valuable suggestions/ comments/ feedbacks for betterment. Success has no reasons but failure has got 101 reasons.  With Regards Rangarajan Ramaswamy Bangalore 01.08.2013