Try jowar moringa rasam today, because winters sail better with soups

For the past few weeks, I have been uploading a lot of soup recipes and with every new recipe, I am receiving more love from my readers. Thank you for reaching out to my Instagram handle and sharing your soup pictures with me. It only encourages me to keep sharing valuable recipes here.

If you are a rasam lover, you would know last year I came up with a recipe of moringa rasam that won many hearts. This time, I wanted to bring in the same recipe with a millet twist.

Through these attempts, I tell all my students if they understand the texture of millets along with the right cooking techniques, they can possibly add them to anything. I am starting a new batch from December 18, and if you wish to start your millet journey with me, do reach out to me through my Instagram handle. But before that, here’s a quick one-pot meal jowar moringa rasam. It is perfect for winters and you would love it on a cold, foggy Sunday evening. It will keep you full and warm for longer.

Give this delicious soup a try! (Photo: Shalini Rajani)

Jowar moringa rasam

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Ingredients (Serves 2-3)

• 1 tbsp jowar flour (homemade)
• 1tsp tamarind pulp
• 1tsp jaggery powder
• ½ tsp moringa powder (or 2 tbsp dried moringa leaves)
• Rock salt to taste
• ¼ tsp asafoetida (heeng)
• 1 tsp rasam powder (read more for homemade rasam powder recipe)
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
• Steamed drumsticks cut in 2-3 inch pieces (4-6 pieces)

For tempering (ingredients)

• 1/2  tsp cow ghee (or coconut oil)
• ½ dried red chilies
• ¼ tsp mustard seeds
• ¼  tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
• ¼ cumin seeds (jeera)
• 6-8 curry leaves
• ½ tsp ginger garlic grated

Method

1. In a deep pan, heat oil and roast jowar flour. Once roasted, add salt and turmeric. Add water and allow it to come to a boil.
2. Separately steam (or blanch) drumstick pieces in salt water.
3.  Add steamed drumsticks to jowar water mix, cover it and allow it to simmer for 5-7 minutes.
4. In the meantime, mix moringa powder (or dried and crushed moringa leaves) with adequate water to form a thick paste. Add it to the jowar drumsticks mix.
5. Check for salt, add more if required. Add rasam powder, black pepper powder, tamarind pulp and adequate water. Let it all come to a boil.
6. Now in a tadka pan, add ghee or oil and wait for it to heat. Add in the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chili and let it crackle. Once they have crackled, add the curry leaves and crushed ginger garlic and turn off the flame. Add this tempering to the rasam and mix well.
7. Let it cool and then add jaggery powder. Garnish with loads of coriander.
8. Reheat and serve hot.

Rasam powder (Ingredients for 100 g powder)

• 1 cup dried red chilies
• 1/2 cup coriander (dhania) seeds
• 1/4 cup arhar dal (split red gram, washed, soaked and dried)
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon methi seeds (fenugreek seeds)
• 1 tablespoon mustard oil

Rasam powder (Method)

1. Separately dry-roast coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and arhar dal until they are crisp and pinkish brown.
2. Once roasted, set them aside to cool.
3. In the same pan, heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in low heat and fry chilies to set it aside for cooling.
4. Heat the another 1/2 tablespoon of oil over low heat and fry cumin seeds and peppercorns separately till fragrant and set aside to cool.
5. Combine all the above roasted ingredients and grind them to a coarse powder. Store the rasam powder in an air-tight container.

About moringa

Moringa has seven times more vitamin C than oranges, 10 times more vitamin A than carrots, 17 times more calcium than milk, nine times more protein than yogurt, 15 times more potassium than bananas, and 25 times more iron than spinach. Moringa leaf powder helps lower blood pressure, blood sugar in diabetics, and is also a sleep aid.

(Shalini Rajani is the founder of Crazy Kadchi and as a Millet Coach, she holds innovative Millets Cooking Workshops for all age groups)

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