Idli-Rasam

This is the same Rava Idli, or South Indian steamed dumpling, as 2 posts ago, and from the same batter as that of another post. (Please see that post for more details, if you like.) This Rasam is a South Indian soup-like dish, based on tomatoes. The simple Rasam was easy to prepare, and very cheerful in the cold and snowy weather. 

The Tomato Rasam recipe is from Healthy South Indian Cooking by Alemalu Vairavan and Patricia Marquardt.

Maangai Rasam 

(South Indian Unripe-Mango Soupy Dish)

The recipe is from 660 Curries, by Raghavan Iyer. The mango I'd chosen at the store was very unripe, indeed. I'd never before eaten something so unripe. I noticed that the finished dish was tart, in a fruity way. It was yummy. 

Breakfast to Treat a Cold 

(Tomato Rasam, Handvo, Mashed Potato, Lemon Juice)

Breakfast to Treat a Cold (L-R, counterclockwise): Tomato Rasam (South Indian soupy dish), Carrot Handvo Muffin (Gujarati Indian snack of fermented ground rice and legumes, with veggies, baked), plain mashed potato, and squirts of fresh lemon juice (for the rasam and handvo.) I sure hope this works! If not, it still tastes good and is healthy.

I had some leftover rasam (see photo from Dec 21), and handvo (see photo from Dec. 8), in the freezer; some lemons in the fridge that need to be used; and a package of Bob's Red Mill potato flakes (no artificial ingredients or preservatives) in the cupboard. The potato flakes are easy to make into instant mashed potatoes, with boiling water from the kettle, and are good for a snack or side dish when I'm not feeling well (or when I don't have energy to make something else).

Tomato Rasam

This is a South Indian soup-like dish, with basmati rice. Recipe from Healthy South Indian Cooking: Expanded Edition by Alamelu Vairavan and Patricia Marquardt. The authors say, ". . . Tomato Rasam is thought to be an excellent remedy for colds and sore throats." Perfect for this time of year. It's very easy to make this rasam, especially when you already have leftover canned tomatoes and tomato sauce, from sambhar made a couple of days ago. You can even add a couple of leftover zucchini and moong dal vadas to your bowl of rasam, for protein.