Geetha's Kitchen

Rasam is one of the ultimate comfort foods and an ubiquitous dish in the South Indian Cuisine. I adore rasam and rice every day; or even a steaming mug of rasam with the meal, as a snack, etc. There are many kinds of rasams to suit many occasions, but Amma Rasam is a quick and simple one; it doen't even require rasam podi. It was handed down from my husband's paternal grandmother, Annapoorna, and hence the name! She made this rasam when someone did not feel well or an extra dish was needed in a hurry upon the arrival of an unexpected guest. Her rasam was such a hit that it got baptized as Amma Rasam to distinguish it from the other kinds! Rasams benefit greatly from the use of Ghee in the tadka/thalippu. Use Ghee if at all possible. Do include Fresh curry leaves as they add their unmistakable and indispensable aroma to rasam. Also if there is one dish to be generous with a big pinch of the potent asafoetida, it is rasam! Note: If you have rasam powder...

Upma with Yogurt Here is a simple and hearty South Indian dish one can cook up in a jiffy with cream of wheat - very satisfying and nutritious too! Upma is such a versatile dish that can be served from breakfast to tea time; in fact any time at all! In the old days people from near or far often dropped by to visit without prior notice and Upma was one of the dishes that would be served to accompany the customary welcome tea . It is an everyday dish that can be dressed up with cashew nuts for special occasions. Sooji or Rava is a fine Indian cream of wheat. Any type of finely cracked grain can be used including regular cream of wheat. Sooji, Chana Dal, Urud dal, asafoetida, curry leaves and mustards seeds, etc are readily available at Indian markets. Serves 4 Ingredients: 1-2 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 Tbsp Ghee (clarified butter) (optional) ½ tsp Brown Mustard seeds 1 Tbsp Chana dal 1 Tbsp Urad dal 1 pinch Asafetida (Hing powder) 1 Tbsp fresh Ging...

Masala Chai Here's a recipe for Masala Chai. You can easily make your own chai for a fraction of the cost of coffee/tea house chai and it is more flavorful too. Serve it steaming hot or cold over ice cubes depending on the weather or your inclination! According to my sister the green tea adds fragrance while the black adds body! The spices are considered digestive particularly after a rich meal. My mother used to add a little crushed black pepper during cold season to alleviate coughs. It is also refreshing and restoring after a hard day's work. A cup of Masala Chai with a couple of shortbread cookies, buttered toast or samosas makes for a lovely snack. Enjoy! 4 servings Ingredients: 2 cups Milk, any kind 2 cups water 2 tbsp fresh ginger, chopped and crushed well or finely grated sugar or honey to taste 7 cardamom pods, crushed well 2 tsp each, black and green tea leaves 1 tsp whole black pepper, lightly crushed (optional) Method:...

Image by saffronkzoo.com This is the simplest of payasams with only 3 ingredients! This is the way it is made at the Bhagavan Krishna Temple in Mukundapuram, Kerala, India. The only change I have made is to use low fat instead of whole milk. 6 Servings Ingredients: 1/2 cup uncooked rice (Basmati, Patna, Sona Masuri or Rosematta) 4 cups 1% milk 1/2 cup sugar Method: Rinse the rice and soak it in two cups of the milk for one hour. Stir in the sugar, the rest of the milk and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer on low heat stirring occasionally until the rice is very soft and creamy - about 1 hour. Serve hot, warm or cool as you wish. This makes a thick payasam; if a thinner payasam is preferred, add 1 to 2 cups of extra milk at the time of adding milk and sugar. Variations: Alternately, cook the soaked rice in a pressure cooker. Then proceed as in the recipe above. Ground cardamom and saffron may be added just before the end of cooking. Cashews pieces and raisins sautéed ...