JEERA RASAM

This is excellent when you are down with cold and sore throat or even fever. Again a very light soup, it is soothing to drink hot. It also tastes very good with rice and any ‘mezhukkuvaratti’ / 'thoran' / pappadam / appalam / karuvadam (fryums).

Ingredients –

Tamarind – 1 lemon-sized ball – soaked in water

Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp

Black pepper powder – 1-1 ½ tsp

Red chilli powder – ½ tsp

Salt to taste

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Asafetida – a pinch

Curry leaves – 7

Ghee – 1 ½ tsp

Method –

Extract the pulp from the tamarind. Add 1 cup of water.

Boil well for 10-12 minutes with turmeric powder, pepper and red chilli powders and salt.

In a small pan, add 1 ½ tsps ghee and add 1 tsp mustard and cumin seeds. When they splutter, add a dash of asafetida and curry leaves and add it to the rasam.

Add more water and check the taste.

Boil well.

 © Copyright 2011. Brinda Balasubramonian.