Paruppu Rasam and Potato curry | Easy Lunch Menu

I was planning and preparing to post easy lunch menus and that was when I received 2-3 readers asking for the same.Though most of us are familiar with rasam and potato curry I can admit that I havent made rasam at all after marriage though I started my cooking with rasam. And thanks for the voting, finally rasam and potato curry it is :)

We dont really prefer rasam in our daily meals and it comes to presence only during festive occasions and when guests are there for lunch. But now since mittu needs either sambar or rasam for lunch amma makes rasam on and off. Here is my easy lunch menu for one of those lazy mondays :)

Potato Curry Recipe

Ingredients:

• Potatoes - 3
• Tomato - 1 finely chopped
• Onion - 1 finely chopped
• Turmeric powder - a pinch
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Sambar powder - 1/4 tsp
• Garlic paste - 1 tsp
• Salt - as required
• Oil - 1 tbsp

To temper

• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few

Method:

1. Boil potatoes with little salt until soft for 3-4 whistles. Keep aside. Then chop the potatoes into cubes.
2. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds allow it to temper, then add curry leaves allow it to crackle. Add garlic paste saute till slightly browned.
3. Now add chopped onions and tomatoes saute till tomatoes shrink and raw smell leaves.
4. Now add the potatoes, saute for a min then add turmeric, chilli powder and sambar powder. Add required salt and mix well.
5. Cook until nicely roasted it may take 7-10mins then switch off.

Paruppu Rasam Recipe:

Ingredients:

• Toor dhal - 1/4 cup
• Tamarind - lemon sized ball
• Green chilli - 1
• Garlic - 4 flakes
• Tomato - 1/2
• Coriander leaves - 2 tsp roughly chopped
• Salt - as required

To roast and grind:

• Jeera - 1 tsp
• Pepper - 1 tsp

Dry roast and grind it to a fine powder

To temper:

• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Hing (Perungayam) - a generous pinch

Method:

1. Pressure cook toor dhal in 1/2 cup water until mushy. Mash the dhal with boiled water andkeep aside.
2. Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of hot water and extract tamarind juice, keep aside.
3. Heat oil in a seperate pan, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing and green chillies followed by tomatoes and crushed garlic.Saute till raw smell of tomatoes leaves.
4. Now add tamarind extract with little water, allow it to boil till its frothy may be for 5-7mins. Add roasted and grounded jeera pepper powder. Add required salt. Add cooked dhal allow it for another boil, add chopped coriander leaves and switch off.

My Notes:

• Always add a hint of garlic with potatoes to avoid gastric issues
• After the dhal is added, dont give more than a single boil.