This recipe is called “Rasam podi” in Hindi
Rasam is the second most popular dish in South India, followed by
sambar.
Yield: Approximately 1½ cups
Ingredients:
¼ cup dried curry leaves
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
⅔ cup coriander seeds
1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds
10 to 15 dried red chili peppers, such as chili de arbol,
broken
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
2 tablespoons dried yellow split chickpeas (channa dal),
sorted
3 tablespoons black peppercorns
3 tablespoons dried yellow split pigeon peas (toor dal),
sorted
4 to 6 rice-size pieces asafoetida
Directions:
In a moderate-sized cast-iron or non-stick wok or skillet,
mix and roast all the ingredients, stirring and shaking the
skillet over moderate heat until it starts to look golden and
releases its fragrance, approximately three minutes.
Allow to cool, then grind using a spice or coffee grinder till
you get a powder. Put inside an airtight vessel and place
the vessel in a cool, dark place, thirty days at room
temperature or approximately one year in a fridge.
Variation: Mild Rasam Powder can be made by excluding or
reducing the number of red chili peppers. The black peppercorns
may be reduced in quantity, but do not omit, because they are
essential to this blend.
