Rasam / South Indian Soup ( ரசம் )

Rasam / South Indian Soup  ( ரசம் )

Ingredients:
Tamarind - small marble size soaked in water ( புளி - சிறிய கோலி உருண்டை அளவு)
Tomato  (  தக்காளி )  -  1
Boiled Toor dhal ( வேக வைத்த துவரம் பருப்பு) -  1 tbsp
Rasam Powder ( ரசப்பொடி)  -  1/2 tbsp
Coriander leaves ( கொத்தமல்லி) - 1 or 2 strings,
finely chopped
Salt to taste ( உப்பு )

For seasoning:

Mustard seeds ( கடுகு )  -  1/2 tsp
Asafoetida ( பெருங்காயம் ) - a pinch
Dry Red Chili ( காய்ந்த மிளகாய் )  - 1
Crushed garlic ( தட்டிய பூண்டு) -  2 or 3 cloves
Curry leaves ( கறிவேப்பிலை)  - 1 string
Ghee or Oil  ( நெய் அல்லது எண்ணெய் ) - 1tsp

Steps:
Soak tamarind in water for minimum 15 minutes. Extract the juice and keep aside.
Fine chop the tomato. Crush the garlic pod using a mortar pestle or just pressing with the flat side of a broad knife.

Heat a tsp of oil or ghee in a pan. Let the mustard crack first, add in garlic, asafoetida, curry leaves and halved dry red chili.

Add the finely chopped tomato and saute for a minute. Pour in the tamarind juice and add salt and turmeric powder.

Add in dhal water to the boiling mixture 

To the boiled toor dhal add a quarter cup of water and extract dhal water.

After 2 minutes, add half a tablespoon of  rasam powder. Within a minute or so switch off the flame when you see bubbles forming and the content boiling. Do not let it to boil for long.

Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves. Cover immediately.
Serve hot with steamed rice.

My Notes:

Rasam, the South Indian Soup, is a hot favourite of all Indians. An excellent appetizer, this tantalizing dish never fails to satisfy your taste buds.As a main dish when you are sick or a soothing cup of rasam to ease your stomach after a heavy meal, this pleases all. Pepper and Cumin seeds in the rasam powder does the trick.

For the young food enthusiastic, this may sound a simple dish to make but have to take note of one or two minor steps to get that perfect combination of sour and spicy soup.
Let the raw taste of tamarind change by boiling well and after adding the rasam powder do not boil too long as this may change the taste.
Equal combination of tamarind and tomato is recommended for a balanced sour taste.
Extra tamarind may make it too sour. It can be balanced with additional dhal water and an extra pinch of the rasam powder. The main ingredient, rasam powder, also plays a part.
Seasoning in ghee gives a unique flavour. Some may prefer to do the seasoning as the last step.

There are few types of rasam : tomato / lemon/ pineapple/ pepper ... the variations is endless. During prayer days, some will refrain from using garlic. Pineapple rasam is my elder son' favorite which he picked up after my Father. Shall post pineapple rasam recipe separately as well the rasam powder.

Rasam remains the first choice for my younger son even being an young adult. He wanted to prepare this dish when I was sick and posed this question of why rasam recipe is not in the blog. So here you go ;) for all the rasam lovers.