How to Make Rasam Powder at Home

Ingredients:
3/4 cup coriander seeds
1/2 cup cumin seeds
1/2 cup pepper corns
1 tsp red chilli powder / 6 red chillies
1/4 cup Tuardal
1/4 cup channa Dal

Method:
Roast all these ingredients separately. Bring it to room temperature and then grind to a powder in a mixer.
let the powder cool and then store in a airtight container.
While roasting you can add a little oil for that nice colour and flavour. Home made rasam powders are the best for good smelling flavoured rasam.

Note:
I do not add asafoetida for the powder as I like to add fresh whenever I make rasam.
I will follow this post with my favourite rasam recipes.

How to make a Perfect Paratha

Knead the dough as for the chappathies and keep aside for an hour.  Divide the dough as given in the recipe into uniform sized balls.

Triangular shaped layered  Parathas are the most common ones found in almost every household in India.
This is made by rolling the balls into a small circle first. Either apply ghee onto the circle or if you are counting calories sprinkle a little flour.

Fold the circle diametrically at the centre and then fold again to get a triangle.
Apply a little flour onto the flat surface where you will be shapping the parathas. Slowly with  light hands roll out the triangles into thin parathas.

Heat the griddle or the tava, keep the flame in the medium, put in one paratha and leave for about 25-30 seconds. as soon as it starts blistering on the top flip the paratha and cook the other side. Apply a little oil on the top ( preferably Ghee) . Remove from the tava and store one above the other, in an airtight casserole to keep them hot till you serve.

Note :
Serve with any spicy curry like Dal Makhni, , Ginger Chicken etc

How to Knead Dough for Chappathi

Kneading a dough for Chappathies is not difficult, when you think of it , but very tiring, that's all. I have been kneading the dough in my Ultra Grinder Wet Grinder. When the power fails you have to knead it with hands.

Method for Basic Dough

Take about 2 cups of whole wheat flour with a pinch of salt, if you like. take about 3/4ths cup of water and a little extra water ready if you need it.

Pour water little by little and gather the flour little by little, with your hand. Do not pour water all at once. The kneading will not come out right and the gluten will also not form properly.
Slowly gather all the flour adding the 3/4ths cup of water. By the time you finish gathering all the flour into a ball,  the water would also have got over.  If it gets over soon sprinkle a little extra water, as you knead.

Push the flour with your heel of your hand, stretching the dough away from you and then gathering  it again, repeat the same process till you get a soft and pliable dough. It might take you about 10 minutes to finish off kneading.
Once you knead the dough, cover it with a moist cloth and leave it aside  for an hour at least,. After that you can divide the dough into uniformed sized balls and roll them out into chappathies. Fry them on the tava with or without oil. You can have your chappathies now with any side dish you love.