Avaraekaayi Saaru/Rasam:

Ingredients:

1. Garlic - 7 to 8 cloves [Chopped into medium dices]
2. Avarey kaayi/ Paapri lilva (in US) - 1 bag
3. Coconut : 1/2 cup [Freshly grated/frozen [thaw it before using]

Masala Ingredients:

1. 2 tsp of coriander seeds
2. 1 tsp of cumin seeds
3. 1/4 tsp of methi seeds
4. 4 red chilies (Byadagi/ Kashmiri chili) [Note: Less spicy and good color]
5. Curry leaves: 7 to 8 leaves
6. 3 tsp of oil [vegetable/peanut/olive]

Procedure:

1. Boil Avarey Kaayi pressure cooker with 1/4 tsp of salt. After one whistle, keep it on simmer for 5 to 8 minutes. Make sure, the avarey kaayi is cooked, but not melted.

2. Bring 3tsp of oil to heat and add the ingredients as per the below order

•   methi [wait unitl it starts changing color]
•   red chilies [Do not over fry the chilies. Just make sure the hot oil is on every part of chily and keep it aside if you want.]
•   coriander seeds [You can add coriander, cumin, and curry leaves together and turn off the fire. The heat of the oil is good enough to fry them all]
•   cumin seeds
•   curry leaves

3. Grind the masala [(2)] along with coconut in a mixer grinder to make a fine paste. Add 2 serving spoons of cooked avaraey kaayi into the grinder and mix along with masala.
4. Add the grinded paste to the cooked avaraey kaayi and dilute the mix accordingly. Do not make it too dilute!
5. Add salt to taste and boil for ~10mins
6. Add 1/2 tsp of tamarind paste and 1/4 inch of brown sugar/bella/gud
7. Boil it for 2 more minutes and turn off the fire
8. Fry chopped garlic + 2 tsp of ghee + 1 tsp of mustard seeds + 7 to 8 curry leaves and garnish the rasam and keep it covered for 5 minutes.
9. Serve with hot rice and papad and you will realize heaven on earth.

Try it out and let me know, please post comments on how it went.