Bele Saru | Toor Dal/Pegion Peas Rasam | Udupi Saru

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Food is all about memories. It has a way of transporting us back to the past. I have so many fond memories that revolve around food. The moment I smell a good tomato saru (rasam) or think about it, I will be transported back to my mother's kitchen as a little girl impatiently looking at a pot of boiling saru. Bele saru as we call it at home is a simple toor dal tomato rasam, it holds a special place in my heart. Although there are quite a few dishes that take me down memory lane, this is no doubt my comfort food. Served with hot steaming rice, a dollop of ghee and mango pickle, I could eat it anytime of the day.

The saru (rasam) my mother made was so good that whenever I made it, it was always compared with hers. My brother always used to tell me that the taste was almost there. Then it took me many unsuccessful trials to match the taste. Now I can comfortably say I make equally good bele saru :) 

The trick was in the freshly pound rasam powder, my mother used to pack me a big box of it everytime I visited her. Now I have learnt to make this goodie myself.  Learn how to make udupi style bele saru aka rasam..


Ingredients: 
Togari bele/ Toor Dal/Yellow pegion peas : 1/2 cup
Ripe Tomatoes : 2
Green chillies: 2-3
Tamarind juice : 1/2 cup
Jaggery : 1/2 tbsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Coriander leaves for garnish
Coconut oil : 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds: 1 tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Asafoetida/Hing: 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder: 1/4 tsp
Sarina pudi /Rasam powder: 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash split pigeon peas and soak in enough water for 15 mins, add a pinch of turmeric and few drops of oil and pressure cook it until done. Soak Tamarind in warm water for 10 mins, squeeze the juice. Keep it aside.

2. Heat oil in a pot and add mustard and cumin seeds, when it splutters add hing and mix.

3. Mix in curry leaves and slit green chillies and saute for 30 seconds.

4. Add chopped tomatoes and cook it for 2 minutes.

5. Now add rasam powder, salt, jaggery and tamarind water and cook it until the tomatoes are pulpy.

6. Now add the cooked dal and enough water and bring to boil. Leave it on for 5 minutes.

7. Adjust the seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn of the flame and garnish with coriander leaves.

8. Serve hot with steaming rice, ghee, pickle and papad.  


Learn how to make rasam powder at home ---> Home made rasam powder /Sarina pudi Recipe

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Tovve | Bele saru | Simple Dal Recipe

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Tovve refers to Dal preparation without adding any saaru/rasam powder. It must be the easiest and quickest dal recipe and tastes wonderful. We need only a handful of ingredients to prepare this comfort food. 

Nothing can replace mother's love and food :-) It reminds me of amma and home sweet home. One of my favorites from my mother's everyday recipes. This week I plan to share some of the dishes that I learnt from my mother's kitchen.

 

Here is the stepwise instruction to make Togaribele Tovve.

Ingredients:

Togaribele / Toor dal: 1 cup

Ghee/coconut oil: 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds: 1 tsp

Asafoetida/hing: 1/4 tsp

Green chillies : 5-6

Curry leaves : 1 sprig

Ginger: 2 inches

Turmeric : 1/2 tsp

Tamarind : a marble size.

Salt to taste

Chopped Coriander leaves: 2 tbsp

Method: 

1. Wash and soak dal in enough water for 15 minutes and pressure cook with a pinch of turmeric and few drops of oil.

2. Slit green chillies and finely chop the ginger. Soak tamarind in warm water and extract juice and keep aside

3. Heat oil/ghee in a pot and add mustard seeds, when it splutters add asafoetida and stir.

4. Add curry leaves, ginger and green chillies and sauté until raw smell of ginger disappears.

5. Mix in turmeric powder and add tamarind juice and bring to boil

6. Lightly mash the cooked dal and add to the tempering, add salt and boil for 4-5 minutes.

7. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with rice, ghee, pickle and happala (papad)

Notes:
1. Another variation of Tovve is to add onion and tomato to the tempering. Once the ginger is sauteed you can add finely chopped onion and fry until it's golden brown in color and then add tomatoes and continue with step 5. Adjust the amount of tamarind if you are adding tomatoes. 

2. Consistency of Tovve is not too thick or very watery. It's in between. It goes well with idli also. Some restaurants in Udupi serve this delicious combination of Idli-Tovve.

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