2 KOLLU /HORSEGRAM DHAL & RASAM

Kollu/Ulavalu/Horse gram/Hurali

In Tamil, this is referred as KOLLU. Normally used to feed horses. But Cuisines are also common. Kollu porial, Kollu avial, kollu sambar, kollu rasam, kollu dhal. Like any traditional ayurvedic cuisine that is referred as "Food is Medicine & Medicine is food", this is also one such food grain.
This is considered to be good to eat when you are having severe cold.


For Dhal :-

Horse gram - 1 cup
Mustard seeds - few
urad dhal - few
Red chillies - 3 broken into halves
Curry leaves - few
Salt


For rasam :-

Cooked and mashed horse gram - a handful
Tamarind - lemon size ( soaked in a cup of water)
Tomato - 2
Rasam powder - 1/2 tbsp
Mustard seeds - few
curry leaves - few
Garlic - 3 crushed
Red chillies - 2 broken into half
Hing - a pinch
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tbsp
Cilantro leaves - few chopped
Salt

Rasam powder :-
Dhaniya/coriander seeds- 1 tbsp
Jeera/cumin seeds - 3/4 tbsp
Pepper corns - 10
Red chillies - 2 or 3
( powder all this together in a dry mixer coarsely)


For cooking Dhal :-


Soak horsegram overnight and pressure cook for 5 or 6 whistles( it takes longer to cook than other dhals)...remove and mash very well save the water for rasam( can also use a blender for mashing ..just add in a blender and switch it on for just few seconds)...transfer it to a bowl( save a handful for rasam)...add salt...in a small kadai heat a tbsp of oil and add mustard seeds,urad dhal, curry leaves and red chillies..when they splutter up add to the dhal and mix...goes well with hot rice and ghee.( Can also add some chopped onions and crushed garlic)

For rasam :-


Extract a dilute pulp out of the soaked tamarind...add chopped tomatoes and mash very well with your hands( remove any skin that reaches your hand)...can also use 2 tbsp of tomato paste instead...then add turmeric powder, rasam powder, a handful of mashed horsegram with cooked water and
salt. Heat a small kadai with a tbsp of oil and first add mustard seeds, curry leaves and hing...when they splutter up add crushed garlic and red chillies...saute for few more seconds and pour it to the rasam...cook the rasam mixture in a medium flame ...let it to just reach to one boil or until it bubbles up..switch off flame and granish with chopped cilantro leaves.