Hurali Saru, Usli (Horsegram Rasam and Palya)

When it is raining and cold outside, and you?re craving for some simple food here?s the best thing that can pep you up! A simple rasam made out of horse gram stock and an accompaniment of usli/palya (a stir fry of cooked horse gram). This tastes good when hot and tastes better even when cold. An ideal combination to beat the cold!

HuraLi Saru
Preparation time : 10 min
Cooking time : 20 min
Serves : 4

Ingredients:
Horse gram / HuraLi - 1 cup
Coriander seeds - 1 Tbsp
Dry red chilies - 8-10 (byadagi or guntur variety based on your taste buds)
Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
Fenugreek /Methi seeds - ¾ tsp
Cinnamon - one small stick
Maratha Moggu - 2
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Coconut - 1 Tbsp, grated
Onion - 1 small, chopped into chunks
Salt - 1 tsp or as per taste
Jaggery - 1 inch cube
Tamarind pulp - 2 tsp
Coriander - A few sprigs

For tadka / Oggarane
Cooking oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Asafetida - a small pinch

Method:
? Cook horse gram in pressure cooker with sufficient water till tender and cool it
? Meanwhile in a skillet, roast the spices - coriander seeds to curry leaves till aromatic
? Allow to cool slightly and grind to a smooth paste along with onion and coconut. Add water to facilitate the mixie/blender
? Drain the cooked horse gram and separate the liquid. Keep the gram aside for usli
? To the liquid, add tamarind pulp, jaggery, salt, ground paste, coriander and bring to boil.
? Adjust consistency by adding water if required. Let it boil for at least 10 minutes.
For tadka / Oggarane
? Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and allow to splutter
? Add asafetida
? Garnish the rasam with tadka and a few coriander leaves
? Serve hot, with piping hot rice and ghee.
? It tastes great when cold too

Tips n Tricks:
? Check the horsegram at least twice for little stones. Generally, even the cleaned variety will contain a few stones.

Usli
Ingredients:
Cooked Horse gram / HuraLi - 1 cup
Coconut - 1 Tbsp, grated
Salt - 1 tsp or as per taste
Coriander - A few sprigs

For tadka / Oggarane
Cooking oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Bengal gram dal - 1 tsp
Black gram dal - 1 tsp
Green chilies - 4-5 (based on your taste buds)
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

Method:
? Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and allow to splutter
? Add the dals and stir till golden brown
? Add slit green chilies, curry leaves and sauté
? Mix in the cooked horsegram, add salt, grated coconut and stir well
? Garnish with a few coriander leaves chopped
? Serve with rice and huraLi saru.