Nimmakaya Charu/Lemon Rasam: Lemon,ginger infused Lentil stock soup

When you are boiling lentils for any dish, what do you do with that water? I  reserve the boiled water aside and use in various ways.This water contains all the nutrients that are present in lentils.So I wold hate to waste it. Today I made spinach with yellow lentils ( Palakura kandipappu podi kura). For this recipe I need to par boil the lentils separately. Once lentil are done I drained the water and kept aside for making this exciting, simple recipe,Nimmakaya Charu/Lemon rasam. It’s like one shot two birds, LOL! Curry and Rasam are done and are a perfect pair.

You can get lentil stock from boiling Chana ,when you make sundal. Also while making Cabbage Chanadal dry curry, Moringa (drumstick leaves) toor dal sabji. Make these lentil recipes from my blog and use that water to make Lemon Rasam.

Lemon Rasam can also be made using water. But The lentil stock gives Rasam a nice taste that you cannot achieve by using water. Do not forget to check my Charu podi (Andhra style Rasam powder) recipe. It is a nice addition to any charu recipe. check out my Andhra style Tomato Rasam recipe too.

 You can also add this Lentil stock to make soups or use it to make Chapathi dough. Another twist is that you can use tamarind in place of Lemon juice and make like regular Rasa.Basically use this stock in place of water, where ever you think of a possibility.

Serve this Charu along with Curry or Dal, probably some Papad and the meal will be yum yum yummy :-).

Servings:
Four (4)

Total time:
20 minutes


Ingredients: (I use US standard measuring; 1cup=8oz=250ml)

• 2 cups liquid (lentil stock+water) 
• 2 tsp grated ginger
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp chili powder or adjust
• Rasam powder/Charu Podi( Optional)
• Coriander leaves
• Juice of 1 small lime or lemon or adjust 
• For seasoning:
• Mustard seeds
• Cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric 
• Pinch of Hing (Asafotida/Inguva)

 Nimmakaya Charu/Lemon Rasam Recipe

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil or less, in a vessel.
2. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, pinch of hing to it.(You can also prepare the seasoning separately and add when Rasam/Charu  is done).
3. Add grated ginger to oil. You can also add garlic paste optionally. 
4. Now take lentil stock and water in the vessel. If you have enough stock thats fine or else make it up with water. The more the stock is, the rich the flavor will be. In the absence of stock you can use all water in this recipe.
5. Boil it.When water starts boiling, add salt, chilli powder, turmeric. If you are adding Rasam powder or Charu powder, you can skip chilli powder.I have used only chill powder, as the stock itself gives a nice taste.
6. You can add 1/4 tsp cumin powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder in the absence of Rasam powder.
7. Now boil water till oil starts floating on top. 
8. Add cilantro leaves.
9. Turn off stove. Now squeeze lemon juice  into the Rasam. I have used one small lime.  But make sure to taste and add more if you like it sour. 
10. Serve with Dal and Plain Rice. 

Tips: 

• You can add  each cumin powder, coriander powder optionally, in the absence of Rasam powder.
• You can also use sambar powder to spice up the Rasam.
• You can use Tamarind in place of Lemon juice.

Related Recipes:

• Lemon Rice
• Charu Podi( Andhra Rasam Powder)
• Tomato Charu ( Andhra style Rasam)
• Raw mango Pacchi pulusu ( Raw mango soup)
• Egg Pulusu ( Eggs in Tangy tamarind gravy)
• Palakura Kandipappu Podi aura (Spinach with Toor dal, Dry curry)
• Anaheim chili Pesarapappu aura (Anaheim chili with mung dal, dry curry)
• Cabbage Senagapappu Kura (Cabbage Chanadal curry)