Tomato sathamudhu

It`s a basic and simple rasam / sathamudhu.It can be easily prepared with readily available ingredients at home.
Ingredients:
Tomato - 1 size
Tamarind - lemon size
Rasam powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch
Asafoetida - a pinch
Salt - to taste
Method:

Soak the tamarind and extract the juice.Mash the tomato with the tamarind extract.Add rasam powder,turmeric powder,asafoetida and salt.Boil the sathamudhu ,till the raw smell goes.Season
 with mustard seeds and curry leaves.Garnish with coriander leaves,(Use ghee to season the mustard seeds.)

Milagu satramathu / sathamudhu / rasam

I usually prepare this satramathu/sathamudhu when the weather is too cold or raining.Milagu or black pepper has medicinal properties.It is very good for common cold or sore throat.It can also be prepared as dry powder and stored for later use.
Ingredients:
Tamarind - a small lemon size
Coriander seeds / Dhaniya -  1tsp
Milagu / Black pepper - 1 tsp
Toor dhal / thuvaram paruppu - 1 tbsp
Cumin seeds / Jeera - 1 tsp
Red chilly - 2 nos
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cilantro / kothamalli leaves - to garnish.

Method:
Soak the tamarind for 15 minutes in hot water and extract the pulp.Add salt,asafoetida and boil for 10 minutes.Meantime grind dhaniya,milagu, jeera, toordhal, red chillies to a coarse powder.When the raw smell of the tamarind leaves,add the grounded powder and boil for another 10 minutes.While boiling all these spices will give a nice aroma to the sathamudhu.Season with mustard seeds and garnish with coriander leaves.

vepampoo satramudhu (sathamudhu) / rasam

"Neem" known as Vembu (in tamil) is considered a major component in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine and is particularly prescribed for skin disease.It is considered as "Panacea for all diseases".Neem blossoms are used  in Karnataka to prepare Ugadhi pachhadi.They are also used to make this simple but delicious rasam.
Ingredients:
Neem blossoms or vepampoo - 1 tbsp
Tamarind - a small amla size
Asafoetida / hing - 1/4 tsp
Red chilly - 2 or  3 nos
Oil - 2tbsp
Salt - to taste

Method:

Extract the tamarind pulp and add 1 1/2 cups of water,salt, hing and boil it till the raw smell of tamarind goes.Heat a little oil in a pan and add the red chillies first.Saute for a minute and then add the vepampoo.Fry them till they turn dark brown ( but take care not to burn them).Pour it into the rasam.Serve hot with rice and roasted papad.(You can even season with mustard seeds )

mysore rasam (sathamudhu)

Ingredients:
Toor dhal - 1 cup
Gram dhal - 1 tbsp
Milagu - 1/4 tsp
Red chilly - 3 nos
Dhaniya - 1/2 tbsp
Toor dhal ( to grind) - 1 tbsp
Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Tomato - 1 (finely chopped)
Salt - 1 /2 tbsp
Asafoetida- 1/2 tsp
Tamarind - a small lemon size

Method:
Pressure cook toor dhal.Add  chopped tomato, asafoetida and salt to the tamarind extract and boil for
5 minutes, meantime heat  1 tbsp of ghee  and fry dhaniya, milagu, toor dhal, gram dhal, red chilly , jeera and grind it to fine paste.Add this paste to the tamarind extract and boil for 5 minutes.When this mixture comes to a boil,add  the cooked toor dhal and season with mustard seeds.Garnish with curry leaves and coriander {cilantro}.

poricha satramudhu(sathamudhu) / rasam

This satramudhu would be ideal if you want to make a paruppu satramudhu/rasam without a tamarind base.

Ingredients:
Toor dhal - 2 cups
Urad dhal - 1 tbsp
Milagu / black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Kadalai paruppu  / gram dhal - 1/2 tbsp
Red chilly - 1
Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
Jeera - 1/4 tsp
Tomato - 1
Method:
Pressure cook Toor dhal.Heat a little oil in a pan and fry Urad dhal, gram dhal, pepper,Asafoetida,red chilly.Grind them into a fine paste along with jeera.Add chopped tomato and  1/2 cup of water to toor dhal and cook for 10 minutes.Now add the above paste and cook .Turn the rasam off when it comes to a boil.Heat a little ghee and add the mustard seeds .Garnish with corriander leaves and serve hot.
[you can add a little water if the rasm is too thick.Also you can  fry and add the curry leaves along with the mustard seeds in ghee.Rasam usually tastes great when we use ghee to season the mustard seeds)