Here’s a South Indian style soupy dish or rasam, which is made with curd or buttermilk. Thus, this rasam variant called Majjige Saaru is also known as Majjiga Charu or Mor Rasam or Buttermilk Rasam locally. This is quite a nutritious preparation, which is usually made with sour curd (yogurt), spices and later tempered.
Take the sour curd in a bowl or pan. You can directly add the curd in a pan and then use the same pan for cooking.
Add 2 cups water.
Mix and whisk very well to get a even, smooth buttermilk mixture.
Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and salt as required.
Mix very well and keep this buttermilk mixture aside.
Making Rasam Powder
Take a small pan. Add 1 tablespoon tuvar dal (arhar dal or pigeon pea lentils).
Then add 2 dry red chilies, ½ teaspoon whole black pepper, 20 fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing).
Keep the pan on a low heat and stirring often roast the spices till aromatic. The tuvar dal should also get golden. Do make sure to use a heavy bottomed pan so that the spices do not get burnt.
Roast the spices till aromatic and the tuvar dal becomes golden. Keep on stirring for uniform roasting. Let the spices cool once roasted well.
Then add them in a small dry grinder jar or a spice jar.
Grind to a fine powder.
Making Majjige Saaru
Add this ground rasam powder aside in the bowl or pan containing the buttermilk mixture.
Add 1 tablespoon rice flour. Addition of rice flour avoids the buttermilk rasam getting split. Mix very well.
Place the pan on stovetop on a low heat.
Stirring often gently heat the buttermilk rasam. Do not boil.
Just let the buttermilk rasam become hot. Once the rasam becomes hot, then turn off the heat. Cover and keep aside.
Tempering Majjiga Charu
In the same pan in which dry spices were roasted, take 1 tablespoon oil (can use sesame oil or peanut oil). When the oil becomes hot, add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds.
Let the mustard seeds crackle.
Once the mustard seeds crackle, then add 8 to 10 curry leaves (whole or chopped) and 1 dry red chili. Stir and sauté for a few seconds till the red chili changes color.
Turn off the heat and immediately add the tempering mixture to the buttermilk rasam. Mix well.
Serve Majjige Saaru hot with steamed rice. You can add some chopped coriander leaves if you want as a garnish.
Notes
Use full fat curd or curd (yogurt) made from whole milk, as curd made from low fat milk can curdle.
If using pre-made rasam powder, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of it or as needed.
Rice flour helps in the curd not getting split or separated.
Some cumin seeds also can be added in the rasam powder mentioned above.
For a less spicy version, add 1 red chili and ¼ teaspoon black pepper while grinding rasam powder. Use red chilies which are low in heat or medium-hot.