Ginger Lemon Kollu Rasam (Spicy soup with horse gram ,lemon juice and ginger))

I will never look at Susan G. Komen, the charitable organization quite the same way again. I have never really paid attention to the charity other than thinking highly of the work they do for women's health. I have not directly contributed to the organization but have participated indirectly by buying pink yogurt boxes, chips or other items with pink ribbons on them. I have reached for the pink ribboned items rather than a brand I usually buy.

The drama the last few days with Komen cutting off funding to Planned Parenthood proved how far ideology can move an organization away from what should be it's core mission namely protecting women's health. After the latest episode I started reading about the organization and what I found out is not making me comfortable.

To have right wing ideologues in the board and top positions in an organization that is purely run from donations collected in the name of women's health is one thing. Right wing radical groups have made it a mission to jeopardize women's health and rights every chance they get. To sway to pressure from these groups is another thing altogether.

I also spent some time in Charity Navigator and looking through Komen's audit report - not that I understood much from reading those reports anyway but enough to know that the percentage they spend on Administration costs is way too high. I would not willingly contribute to an organization with that high of an overhead and who pays a failed right wing politician that high of a salary to run a non profit organization.

Whenever I make a donation I do check up on the charity to see their expenses but an organization like Susan G Komen I probably would not have because of their reputation and them being in our face all the time. This is another lesson not to judge a book by its cover. Never ever make a donation to an organization without finding out who sits in decision making positions. Especially an organization like this one which has ardent supporters and chapters all over the country.

Have any of you made donation to the organization and did the episode last week leave a sour taste in your mouth?

Now on to something tasty like this rasam for example. I saw this delicious looking rasam on Cilantro for Ginger Lime Rasam and I could not wait to give it a try. Add to the urgency was the fact that each one of us had a runny nose. Kollu Paruppu and Rasam does what all the cold medications of the world cannot do.

I decided to give Cilantro's lime rasam a try with horse gram instead of the toor dal. The combination of lime and horse gram is one that you have got to try. It was perfectly soothing for those scratchy throats. I mashed up a quarter cup of the horse gram into the rasam and so it was a slightly thickish rasam.

Recipe Source: Cilantro - Ginger Lime Rasam

Ginger Lemon Kollu(Horse gram) Rasam
Ingredients
1. 1/4 cup horse gram
2. juice from 2 limes
3. seasoning: mustard, cumin and asfoetida, curry leaves
4. 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
5. 2 tsp ghee
6. 1 tsp red chili powder
7. salt to taste

8. 1 tomato chopped
9. 2 inch piece of ginger

To Roast and Powder
10. 5 red chilies
11. 1/2 tbsp of pepper corns
12. 2 tsp coriander seeds
13. 1 tsp cumin seeds
14. few fenugreek seeds

Method
1. Cook the horse gram with 5 times as much water till soft and mushy. A pressure cooker works best. Cool and blend the cooked dal to smooth.
2. Blend the tomatoes and ginger to a paste.
3. Roast 6-10 till they start to turn color and make a powder (Coffee grinder works best for this)
4. Mix 1-3 with the coriander leaves and in a vessel gently bring it to a boil. I let it simmer for about 3-4 minutes for the raw smell of tomato to leave. Add salt and chili powder half way through.
5. In a small pan heat the ghee and add the seasoning ingredients and pour over the boiling rasam. Turn off the heat.

Drink as a soup or with white rice.