Rasam

Rasam is an integral part of tamilian cuisine. In my home rasam is almost prepared everyday. It is a comfort food for many people. My dad loved to drink rasam like a soup. Ofourse its a kind of soup and it tastes excellent with hot rice and papadam. My way of rasam preparation is very simple. Takes just a few minutes to prepare and I have received compliments for my rasam many a time. Please do not add rasam powder of any brand to your rasam. Definitely that is the first step to spoil your rasam. Rasam is a concoction of several spices which is very good for your general health and digestive system. That is why we tamilians used to finish of any 'virundhu saapadu' ( feast) with rasam. When people suffer from cold and fever rasam is an extremely comforting food. Pepper, turmeric, garlic and jeera added in the rasam, in its raw form definitely have many healing properties. Now comes the most sought rasam recipe :

Ingredients :

Tamarind- small  lemon sized ball

Red chilly- 4 nos

Green chilly- 3 nos

Black pepper corn- 1 tspn

Jeera- 1 tbspn

Ripe tomato- 1 no (big sized)

Garlic- 4 pods (with skin intact)

Coriander leaves- a handful

Curry leaves- some 10 leaflets

Urid dhal,fenugreek, mustard, and jeera seeds for tempering- 1/2 tspn each

Turmeric- 1/4 tspn ( a few pinches)

Asafoetida- 2 or 3 pinches

Oil- 4 tspn

Salt to taste

Method :

Soak the tamarind in water and extract juice. Dilute the tamarind juice with water and adjust its sourness according to your taste. Now powder the black pepper corn and jeera seeds into a  rough powder. Crush the garlic along with the skin. Do not remove the skin. Now to the diluted tamarind juice add asafoetida, turmeric powder, powdered pepper and jeera seeds, whole tomato, coriander leaves, curry leaves, red and green chillies. With your hand crush all the ingredients thrown into the tamarind juice nicely . The tomato should be torn into pieces, coriander leaves and curry leaves should be crushed nicely so that their aroma seeps into the tamarind water, crushed garlic must be crushed with your hand much more , the green and red chillies must be crushed and broken down into pieces. Continue this crushing process with your hands for atleast three minutes. Then wash your hand immediately with soap bcause many a time I end up keeping my fingers in my eyes or face. If it happens the burning will be horrible. Be careful. Now after all this step you have to make the tempering or talimpu. Heat a pan. Add 4 tspns of oil. When the oil gets heated add urid dhal and fenugreek seeds. When they turn brown add jeera and mustard seeds. When they splutter transfer the tamarind juice mixture into the pan. Now the most important thing, do not allow the tamarind juice mixture to boil. It should be about to boil but it should not boil. You can see white foam like formations on the top of rasam ( nuraithu varum). When such white foam occupy the entire surface area of rasam  switch off the stove. Add few more coriander leaves and salt to taste at the end. Very tasty and flavourful rasam will be ready to serve.

Taste enhancing tips for this recipe : Do not add any rasam powder. Do not miss any ingredient mentioned. Do not grind all the needed ingredients using a mixer grinder. Use your hand as mentioned above. I love to see garlic skin in rasam. I am used to it. Never allow the rasam to boil. Rasam acquires a hard, unpleasant taste (kaduthu pogum) and the total effort will be spoiled. Another important thing is add salt only at the end. This also helps to prevent rasam acquiring a hard taste. Try it you will love it .  Happy cooking !!!