Name: Poricha Saathamudhu (Poricha Rasam) Recipe
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ½ tbsp Red gram Dal; 1 tbsp Black Gram Dal; 1 tbsp Bengal Gram Dal; 1 tbsp pepper; 3 tbsp red chili; ½ tbsp cumin seeds; 2 tbsp coconut; ¼ tbsp Asafoetida; 4 tbsp curry leaves; 1 tbsp ghee; 1 tsp mustard seeds

This variety of saathamudu or rasam belongs to the classic Tambrahm cuisine. An alternative to the usual tomato rasam, this rasam does not have the usual tang of the tamarind or tomatoes. We usually serve poricha rasam during the first meal taken after a fast or vratham, especially that of Ekadasi vratham.

We observe this fast from sunrise on the Ekadashi day (thithi) to the next day’s sunrise. The day after Ekadashi is Dwadashi. On Dwadashi day, we will prepare a special menu, ‘Dwadasi Paranai’. Because of the full-day fasting the day before, we don’t include any acidic or spicy foods. Instead, the foods are light and beneficial to the digestive system, like this poricha rasam.

How To Make Poricha Saathamudhu (Poricha Rasam)

This classic Indian recipe is a very mild and delicious dal soup that has the tanginess of cumin seeds along with freshly ground spices. It is a good dish to prepare as an alternative to the more common tomato rasam with tamarind.

Prep: 45 mins

Cook: 45 mins

Total: 1 hr 30 mins

Serves:

Ingredients

½ tbsp Red gram Dal, or Toor Dal (Pigeon Pea)
1 tbsp Black Gram Dal, or Udad Dal (Split Black Gram)
1 tbsp Bengal Gram Dal , or Channa Dal (Split Bengal gram lentil)
1 tbsp pepper
3 tbsp red chili
½ tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp coconut, grated
¼ tbsp Asafoetida
4 tbsp curry leaves
1 tbsp ghee, (also known as clarified butter)
1 tsp mustard seeds

Instructions

Cook the red gram dal in water with a pinch of turmeric until soft and mushy. Mash it well and set aside.
Take a heavy-bottomed pan and add the ghee. Roast the dals, pepper, and red chili until the dals turn golden brown.
Remove and in the same pan, roast the coconut gratings for a few minutes until dry. Grind all the roasted ingredients to a smooth paste with water.
Add the mashed dal and the ground paste. then add the salt and asafoetida. Bring the mixture to a boil.
Once the rasam begins to boil, add more water if needed to get consistency. Wait for this to boil over such that it froths on the sides of the pan.
Add the tempering of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves and switch off the flame.
Cover and allow the tempering to infuse into the rasam. Serve hot with rice and ghee.

Recipe Notes

A medium tomato cubed can be added if preferred during the final boil.
This rasam will be thicker than the usual “thelivu” rasams.
Chopped coriander should not be added to this recipe.

Nutrition