Rasam

Rasam or Saaru is a South Indian soup, traditionally prepared using tamarind juice as a base, with the addition of tomato, and chili pepper, pepper, cumin and other spices as seasonings.

Ingredients for preparing Rasam

• Tamarind 1 lemon sized ball
• Red Gram  1/2 cup
• Peppercorns 2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
• Garlic 5 cloves (Optional)
• Asafoetida Powder (Kaayam, Hing) – 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste – 1 tsp
• Coriander Leaves, chopped – 1 tbsp

For Seasoning

• Oil or Ghee – 1 tsp
• Mustard  Seeds  1/4 tsp
• Dry Red Chillies 2 no

Method:

• Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes. Kneading with your fingertips, extract juice and discard pulp.
• Cook Red Grams in a pressure cooker with enough water until soft and mushy. Mash further with a potato masher to remove any lumps. Keep it aside.
• Crush the Garlic Pods, Peppercorns and Cumin Seeds. Keep it aside.
• In a thick bottomed vessel, mix the mashed Red Grams with Tamarind juice, Asafoetida Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander leaves, Salt, 2 cups of Water and the crushed ingredients from step 3.
• Heat the vessel and allow the contents to boil for 2 minutes. Now switch off the stove.
• Heat oil in a small pan and splutter the mustard seeds.
• Now add the curry leaves and dry red chillies into the same pan and fry for a minute. Pour this seasoning over Rasam.
• Garnish Rasam with Coriander Leaves and serve it hot with rice or you can even have it as a soup.