SOUL PEPPER RASAM

Everyone in my daughter’s class has been falling prey to flu. Cold, cough, runny noses run amok despite every precaution. On such occasions, we whip up a flavourful rasam that could warm the soul any day. The best part, is that the ingredients are very simple and you will almost always have them handy

Here goes..

If you do manage to source such produce, here’s a recipe that will do it complete justice. A finger – licking – good pickle recipe that comes straight from a grand old lady of our family, lovingly curated by my Mother. 

Ingredients for tempering (tadka)

• Mustard – half a teaspoon
• Udad dal – half a teaspoon 
• Curry leaves – few
• Ghee – 2 tablespoons

Ingredients for rasam

• Freshly ground pepper: 2 teaspoon heaped
• Tamarind – Small lemon sized ball, soaked in warm water
• Jaggery – 2 small lemon sized balls, crushed
• Onion – 1 small chopped up

Preparation Steps: 

• Add mustard and udad dal to hot ghee and allow them to crackle
• Add curry leaves in quick succession and allow them to crackle too, making sure the udad dal does not turn over brown or burn 
• Add chopped onion and fry till they turn pink
• Add in tamarind water, jaggery, salt and pepper. Add more water, if required 
• Let this mix simmer till the tamarind jaggery are fully blended

That’s it!

This superbly simple rasam can turn your day around with a burst of flavour any day, but even more so on a cloudy gloomy day you are down and out. We have enjoyed this delicacy / home remedy during many flu seasons along with hot rice and some ghee. It’s light on the stomach and wonderful to the throat.