Kalani Rasam Recipe, Kalani Saaru

Recipe for Kalani Rasam, கழனி ரசம். Recipe made with arisi mandi / kalani thanni. Recipe with step by step pictures.

Kalani is nothing but the starchy water that comes from washing rice. In the Chettinad region, this starchy water is also called as mandi or arisi mandi. The starchy water is used in some recipes to add a slight thickness to the gravy / curry. It also adds a nice flavour. This rasam recipe uses kalani thanni and it adds a nice flavour to the recipe.
Here is the recipe for Kalani Rasam.

Update: Many people have asked about the stoneware pot. Please check the site – Essential traditions by Kayal.

Prep Work
Grind the tomatoes in a mixie. Do not grind the tomatoes to a fine puree. Just pulse for a few times. The tomatoes should remain in bits. Set aside.

In a mortar and pestle, grind the pepper and cumin seeds to a coarse powder.

Once the pepper and cumin is coarse, add in the garlic cloves. No need to peel the garlic. Crush the garlic and set aside.

Heat sesame oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Add in the ground pepper-cumin-garlic mixture. Saute for a few seconds.

Add in the curry leaves and the dried red chillies.

Add in the roughly pureed tomatoes. Also add in the turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt. Saute for a minute.

Soak a small gooseberry size tamarind in a cup of water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind well to extract the pulp. Discard the seeds and the pith. Add in the tamarind pulp to the pan.

While making lunch or dinner, soak the rice in water for 20 minutes. Just rub the rice in the palm for a few times. Strain the water that comes from soaking rice. Strain and use the starchy water in the recipe.

Add in the rice water (kalani) to the pan.

Let the rasam come to a boil. Do not allow the rasam to boil for a long time. When the rasam becomes frothy and the sides starts to bubble up, remove the rasam from heat. Add in the coriander leaves and green chillies. The green chillies is optional. I add it as it add a really nice aroma to the rasam.

Rasam is ready.

Serve hot with rice.

4.6 from 5 reviews

Kalani Rasam Recipe, Kalani Saaru

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

15 mins

 

Recipe for Kalani Rasam, கழனி ரசம். Recipe made with arisi mandi / kalani thanni. Recipe with step by step pictures.

Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh

Recipe type: Side Dish

Cuisine: Tamilnadu

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 Tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 5 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoon sesame oil
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2 dried red chillies
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon salt
• gooseberry size tamarind
• 1 cup Kalani (starchy water from washing rice)
• 2 sprigs coriander leaves
• 2 green chillies

Instructions

1. Grind the tomatoes in a mixie. Do not grind the tomatoes to a fine puree. Just pulse for a few times. The tomatoes should remain in bits. Set aside.
2. In a mortar and pestle, grind the pepper and cumin seeds to a coarse powder. Once the pepper and cumin is coarse, add in the garlic cloves. No need to peel the garlic. Crush the garlic ans set aside.
3. Heat sesame oil in a pan and add in the mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add in the ground pepper-cumin-garlic mixture. Saute for a few seconds.
4. Add in the curry leaves and the dried red chillies.
5. Add in the roughly pureed tomatoes. Also add in the turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt. Saute for a minute.
6. Soak a small gooseberry size tamarind in a cup of water for 15 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind well to extract the pulp. Discard the seeds and the pith. Add in the tamarind pulp to the pan.
7. Add in the rice water (kalani) to the pan.
8. Let the rasam come to a boil. Do not allow the rasam to boil for a long time. When the rasam becomes frothy and the sides starts to bubble up, remove the rasam from heat. Add in the coriander leaves and green chillies. The green chillies is optional. I add it as it add a really nice aroma to the rasam.
9. Rasam is ready.

3.5.3251