Huruli Saaru or Bassaru is also known as kollu rasam in Tamil, and is a very healthy protein-rich rasam recipe made using horse gram.
This huruli bassaru or the Karnataka version of kollu rasam is popular in South India and is also one of the traditional recipes of Karnataka.
I personally love eating this with rice, but it is popularly served with ragi mudde as well.
Ragi cools your body and horse gram warms your body and hence they make a very good combination.
What is huruli bassaru?
Bassaru means ‘basida-saaru’, that is a rasam (saaru in Kannada) prepared using stock of cooked horse gram (the process is called ‘basiyuvudu’ in Kannada). Hence the name bassaru.
In Karnataka, we make many different types of bassaru and this recipe is one among them.
Health benefits of horse gram
Horse gram is a super-food rich in iron, calcium, protein, anti-oxidants, phosphorous, fibre.
It helps in keeping the body warm, aids in weight loss, a good remedy for digestive issues, menstrual cycle issues, diabetes to name a few.
Do include horse gram regularly in your diet especially in winter and monsoon.
Huruli Bassaru, a two-in-one recipe
Huruli bassaru or the Karnataka version of kollu rasam is a two-in-one recipe in which you can make both rasam and palya/usli just out of one common ingredient.
In this post I’m sharing the bassaru/kollu rasam recipe and the usli/sundal recipe is shared as a separate post as it would otherwise make a very big post.
To check out the horse gram usli/palya/sundal recipe, please click on this link: Horse gram Usli / Sundal
Huruli Bassaru/Kollu Rasam- Step by step method
Please note: 1 cup=240ml (standard measurement)
Step 1: Clean, wash, and soak 1 cup horse gram in warm/hot water for about 2 hours. Soaking helps in cooking the horse gram quicker.
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- Soak horse gram in warm water
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- Soak in enough water
Step 2: Discard the water, transfer the soaked horse gram to a pressure cooker. Add about 2.5 cups of water. Pressure cook for 4 whistles and let the pressure release naturally.
Next, drain this water and transfer to a container in which you will be making the rasam.
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- Cooked horse gram
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- Collect the stock in a container/kadai
Step 3: Then, again add about 1.25 cups water to the cooked horse gram and pressure cook for 3 or 4 more whistles. Drain the water like before and transfer it to the same container.
This step is done so that we get more stock out of horse gram. You can add more water in the previous step itself and cook for 7 to 8 whistles in total. But, there are possibilities that water can spill over and mess the stovetop. Hence, I prefer this method.
Step 4: To make the masala/spice blend-
In a small pan, add a tsp oil and in low heat roast 2.5 tsp coriander seeds, 1.25 tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1/3 tsp mustard seeds, 8 to 10 peppercorns, 8 byadagi/kashmiri dry red chillies, 2 guntur dry red chillies. All the spices should turn aromatic but make sure you don’t burn them. (refer notes)
Step 5: Let them all cool for some time and then transfer to a mixer jar along with 3 tbsp fresh grated coconut, 6 to 8 curry leaves, 1 onion fairly chopped (or 1/2 a large onion), a pinch of turmeric and asafoetida, 1 ladle of cooked horse gram.
Add water as required and make a smooth paste.
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- Transfer all the ingredients to a mixer jar
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- Blend to a smooth paste
Step 6: Transfer the ground masala to the cooked horse gram stock kept aside previously. Mix it thoroughly.
Also, soak a small gooseberry size tamarind in water for some time and squeeze the water. Add this as well.
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- Add the ground masala to the cooked water/stock
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- Mix thoroughly
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- Add in tamarind juice
Step 7: Boil this for 8 to 10 minutes so that the rawness of the masala disappears and it cooks well. Add water if required. I did not add extra water other than the stock and some water that was used to transfer the contents in the mixer jar.
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- Boiled well
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- Slightly thick but flowing consistency
Step 8: Add salt to taste and boil it for just a minute. Finally, make a tempering with ghee/oil, mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, dry red chilies (optional). Pour this to the hot rasam along with chopped coriander leaves.
Immediately close a lid to trap the aroma well.
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- Add tempering
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- Add finely chopped coriander leaves
Other Karnataka recipes that might interest you
Bangalore style Masala Puri Chaat
I hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as I enjoyed preparing it and writing it down for you all.
I would love to hear your feedback on this. When you try it, kindly post your valuable comments below or share it with me personally on Instagram / Facebook. You may also pin it on Pinterest.
Huruli Bassaru | Kollu Rasam | Horse gram Rasam Recipe
Ingredients
To make masala paste
- 2.5 tsp coriander seeds
- 1.25 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1/3 tsp mustard seeds
- a pinch of turmeric powder
- 8-10 numbers peppercorns
- 8 numbers byadagi or kashmiri red chillies
- 2-3 numbers guntur red chillies
- 2-3 tbsp freshly grated coconut
- a pinch of asafoetida
- 6-8 numbers curry leaves
- 1 medium onion - , fairly chopped
Other ingredients to make rasam
- 1 cup horse gram
- salt - to taste
- 1 tsp cooking oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- a pinch of asafoetida
- 1 no. dry red chiily
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 5-6 sprigs coriander leaves
Instructions
- Clean, wash and soak 1 cup horse gram in warm/hot water for about 2 hours. Soaking helps in cooking the horse gram quicker.
- Discard the water, transfer the soaked horse gram to a pressure cooker. Add about 2.5 cups water. Pressure cook for 4 whistles and let the pressure release naturally. Next, drain this water and transfer to a container in which you will be making the rasam.
- Then, again add about 1.25 cups water to the cooked horse gram and pressure cook for 3 or 4 more whistles. Drain the water like before and transfer to the same container. (refer notes 1)
- In a small pan, add a tsp oil and in low heat roast 2.5 tsp coriander seeds, 1.25 tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds, 1/3 tsp mustard seeds, 8 to 10 peppercorns, 8 byadagi/kashmiri dry red chillies, 2 guntur dry red chillies. All the spices should turn aromatic but make sure you don't burn them. (refer notes 2)
- Let them all cool for some time and then transfer to a mixer jar along with 3 tbsp fresh grated coconut, 6 to 8 curry leaves, 1 onion fairly chopped (or 1/2 a large onion), a pinch of turmeric and asafoetida, 1 ladle of cooked horse gram.Add water as required and make a smooth paste.
- Transfer the ground masala to the cooked horse gram stock kept aside previously. Mix it thoroughly.
- Also, soak a small gooseberry size tamarind in water for some time and squeeze the water. Add this as well.
- Boil this for 8 to 10 minutes so that the rawness of the masala disappears and it cooks well. Add water if required. I did not add extra water other than the stock and some water that was used to transfer the contents in the mixer jar.
- Add salt to taste and boil it for just a minute.
- Finally, make a tempering with ghee/oil, mustard seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves, dry red chillies (optional). Pour this to the hot rasam along with chopped coriander leaves. Immediately close a lid to trap the aroma well.
Notes
- Step 3 is done so that we get more stock out of horse gram. You can add more water initially itself and cook for 7 to 8 whistles in total. But, there are possibilities that water can spill over and mess the stovetop. Hence, I prefer this method.
- If you have rasam powder you can directly use that and blend with coconut, onion, curry leaves, a ladle of cooked horse gram. However, the taste of your horse gram rasam can change if the spices used in your rasam powder are different than what is mentioned in this recipe.
- Adjust the number of peppercorns and dried red chillies as per your spice level.
- We do not use garlic usually in our home-style recipes, but if you like you can fry a clove or two of garlic along with other spices and grind.
- You don't have to fry the onion, raw onion can be used directly to make masala.