Ulvu Charu (Horse Gram Rasam)

 Ulvu Charu (Horse Gram Rasam)

 Category : Regional cuisine, Andhra
Time Taken : 15-30 mins

Ingredients:
horse gram (kollu, huruli, kulth) - ½ kg
tamarind - size of 2 small limes
cumin - 1 tsp
fenugreek - ½ tsp
corriander seeds - 1 tbsp
pepper - 1 tsp
garlic - 10-15 flakes
cinnamon - 1 piece
cloves - 2
red chillies - 6 or to taste

For Seasoning:

oil - 2 tbsp
mustard - 1 tsp
cumin - 1 tsp
garlic - 4 flakes
curry leaves
sugar or jaggery - little, optional
salt to taste

Method

1. Soak Tamarind in 1 cup of water and extract the juice few.
2. Pressure cook Horse gram with 6 cups of water for 45 minutes. Strain and extract stock.
3. Add 2 cups of water to the strained gram, simmer for 10 minutes and strain again to get a some more stock.
4. Add it to the first extract.
5. Roast all the ingredients from cumin to red chilies with little oil and grind with 3 Tbsp of the cooked gram to a paste.
6. Add the paste to the stock.
7. Add tamarind juice, salt and jaggery or sugar if using. Simmer for 10 minutes.
8. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil for seasoning.
9. Add mustard and cumin.
10. When they crackle, add garlic.
11. Fry till brown.
12. Add curry leaves.
13. Add the seasoning to the charu.

Serves: 6 to 8

Note:
This is thicker than usual rasam and thinner than dal or pappu