Udupi Brahmin's Bele Saaru

If you visit Sri Krishna Temple at Udupi you can get a nice aroma of this rasam throughout a year. This is a popular rasam which people around coastal Karnataka like the most. This cuisine is from the tulu brahmin community which is famous for vegetarian food and Udupi hotels around the globe. 

This type of rasam is served in temple lunches as prasadam, wedding ceremonies and other occasions in South canara.

Preparation Time : 25 min
Cooking Time       : 20 min
Serves                   : 4-5

Ingredients :

English Name For Ingredients	Hindi Names For Ingredients	Quantity
To prepare Saaru Powder ::
Dry Red Chillies	सूखी लाल मिर्च	200 gm
Coriander Seeds	धनिया के बीज	150 gm
Fenugreek Seeds	मेथी के बीज	50 gm
Cumin  Seeds	जीरा	50 gm
Curry Leaves	करी पत्ते	708 Twigs
Coconut Oil	नारियल तेल	50 ml
To Prepare Saaru ::
Toor Daal	तूर दाल	1/2 Cup
Green Chillies	हरी मिर्च	2(Slit into half)
Tomato	टमाटर	1 medium size
Jaggery	गुड	1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder	हल्दी पाउडर	1/4 tbsp
Tamarind Paste	इमली	1/4 tbsp
Rasam Powder	रसम पाउडर	3 tbsp
Coriander Leaves	हरा धनिया	3 tbsp chopped
Water	पानी	Nearly a Litre
Salt	नमक	To Taste
Tempering :
Oil	तेल	2 tbsp
Mustard seeds	सरसों के बीज	1/2 tbsp
Curry leaves	करी पत्ते	10-12  numbers
Asafoetida	हींग	A Pinch

Preparations: 

1. In a low flame, heat a small deep pan add 10 ml of oil and roast dry red chillies and keep aside. In the same pan add another 10 ml of oil roast coriander seeds and keep along with dry red chillies.
2. Repeat the procedure by roasting other ingredients one by one mentioned under "saaru powder". Using a blender blend the roasted ingredients until powdered. Store this powder in a bottle and use whenever you prepare bele saaru.
3. The ingredients quantity to prepare little quantity of rasam powder is Dry red chillies 10-12, Coriander seeds 3 tbsp, fenugreek seeds 8-10, cumin seeds 3/4 tbsp, curry leaves 2 twigs and 15 ml oil. All the other procedure is same mentioned above.
4. You can prepare saaru twice using this quantity of rasam powder.
5. Soak daal for atleast half an hour, wash well and pressure cook it taking 3-4 whistles(depending upon your cooker) and keep aside. In a vessel add water, tamarind paste, jaggery, turmeric powder and green chillies.
6. Boil for 10 min and transfer the boiled daal along with chopped tomato. Stir for a while, and add rasam powder and salt also add water if required depending on the consistency you like. Let this boil for 10-15 min, the more you boil the taste will be better. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and turn off the heat.
7. Prepare a tempering in a small pan by heating oil and adding mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. Add this tempering to the saaru and serve hot along with rice with the topping of ghee.