Nimbe appehuli saaru/Lemon soup: A Havyaka Speciality!

Haven't visited this space for a month? Alas, can't believe!!

Was I busy? Not really. The fact is I was/am enjoying all the family functions & festivals that I missed for four long years.  I am not in a mood to cook any elaborate meals & most of the days, try to whip up something under 20 mins. During one of those quick cooking sessions, I spoke to my co-sis & learnt this nimbe appehuli.  A saaru/rasam that is ready in less than 10 minutes!

Preparation Time: 5 mins

Cooking Time: Nil (Can count 1 minute for tempering the rasam!!)

Ingredients: (Serves 3)

Juice extracted from 2 lemons(Around 2-3 tbsp)

Water: Around 500ml

Salt: 1 tsp, more or less

Sugar: 1 tsp, optional

Finely chopped green chilli: 2 nos

For tempering:

Coconut oil: 2 tsp, preferred
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida: a pinch
Dry red chilli: 1 no, broken

Method:

• Add salt, sugar, finely chopped green chilli & lemon juice to a vessel. Mix them well. 
• Add 400ml of water & mix well. Adjust the water according to the sourness level preferred! 
• Prepare the tempering. Heat oil in a small pan. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds. When seeds splutter, throw in broken red chilli & asafoetida.
• Pour the tempering over the lemony water. Let it sit for 10-15mins for the flavors to soak in!

                                               (PS: Before crushing the red chilli)

• Crush the red chilli using your hand & mix it again.
• Enjoy the cold appe huli saaru with steaming hot rice, pickle & papad. 

Notes:

My co-sister suggested me not to add any curry leaves or garlic for the tempering!. She says, curry leaves don't go well with this appehuli & hence her aunties prepare it this way. I just followed her words. If you want to add curry leaves, feel free to add. But, never add both asafoetida & garlic to this. Go with either one!

Last but not the least:

Prathibha of Chefandherkitchen has tagged me in a 7 links game. It sounds fun. Thanks for thinking of me Prathibha. Will do it shortly.