Bottle Gourd Onion Rasam

           Rasam, one of the most comforting food and its most common in all South Indian Homes. I could say that my mom's Rasam is the best and very flavorful Rasam. When i was studying higher secondary i prepared my first Paruppu Rasam and it was liked by all my family members and my Dad really appreciated me :)  I love paruppu rasam a lot and mostly i make paruppu rasam only. Later learned to make Tomato Rasam, Thattai Payir Rasam, Lemon Rasam  and this Onion Rasam. For a change i made this onion rasam with some bottle gourd chunks and to my surprise that was so good and we loved to eat Bottle gourd in this way. I made Tapioca vada and this rasam for lunch. Very yummy combo and it was a tasty and very filling meal. I was in a hurry to serve lunch for my H, so couldn't concentrate on pictures and presentation. Somehow presented and also i am bit scared to click picture of a piping hot rasam, as the hot fumes from the rasam might spoil the camera lens  n its life. Ok Now to the recipe.....

Ingredients

1. Bottle gourd    3/4 cup (cut in to chunks)
2. Pearl onion/Sambar onions    10 no.s (peeled and halved)
3. Tomato   1 small(chopped)
4. Curry leaves    1 sprig
5. Turmeric powder    a pinch
6. Cilantro    5-6 stems
7. Rasam powder     2 tsp( i used store bought rasam powder)
8. Tamarind  pearl onion sized slad soaked in warm water for 20 minutes
9. or tamarind paste   1 tsp dissolved in 1/2 cup water 
10. Salt   to taste

To temper

1. Oil     1-2 tsp
2. Mustard seeds    1/2 tsp
3. Hing    1/4 tsp
4. Cumin seeds / Jeera    1 and 1/2 tsp(crushed)
5. Pepper corns    1 tsp(crushed)
6. Garlic    2-3 cloves (crushed)
7. Dry Red chili   2 no.s (broken0

Method

• Extract tamarind juice from the soaked tamarind and keep aside.
• Wash and cut bottle gourd in to chunks and keep aside. If you want can microwave or steam the chunks for 3-4 minutes and keep aside until use.
• Crush jeera,pepper and garlic together in pestle n mortar or in a blender run for few seconds and keep ready.

• Heat oil in a wok, add mustard seeds when it splutter add crushed jeera-pepper-garlic, hing,dry red chili and saute for few seconds and then add curry leaves and pearl onions.

• Saute it for a minute then add bottle gourd chunks and saute it for 2-3 minutes.
• After that add tomato and saute for another minute and add tamarind water and 2 cups of water, enough salt, rasam powder .......... stir everything well.

• Now sprinkle turmeric powder and chopped cilantro leaves and close it with a lid.

• Cook in medium heat, once it turns frothy and starts boiling turn off the stove and add some cilantro leaves and let it rest for few minutes.
• That's it.......healthy and light onion bottle gourd rasam is ready to serve. Serve piping hot with steamed rice...Enjoy with papad/potato fry or any desired accompaniment.

Notes:
You can also add some cooked dal water to this rasam.
Steam or microwave bottle gourd chunks before you add it to the rasam, this helps to cook it quickly.
Add more or less water ot your desired consistency and also to adjust the tamarind tangy level.
I used shakthi masala rasam powder, you can use homemade any rasam powder of your choice,

Sending this recipe to the events, A Veggies/Fruit a Month ~ Bottle gourd Event by Priya and guest hosting by Raji and to the event, Vardhini's New U event .