Pineapple Rasam

Ingredients:

1. Tamarind – lemon-sized or even less

2. Tomatoes – medium sized - 2

3. Cooked Tur dal – ½ cup

4. Pine apple –5 to 6 round slices 

5. Sambar powder – 1 teaspoon

6. Red chillies – 3

7. Black pepper – 1 tspn

8. Jeera – 1 tspn

9. Urad Dhal – 1 tspn

10. Coriander seeds – 2 tspns

11. Channa dhal – 1 tspn

12. Coconut scrapings – 2 tspns

13. Coriander leaves – to garnish

14. Salt to taste

15. Mustard seeds – 1 tspn

 Method:

1. Roast till golden brown, add a little water and grind red chillies, pepper, jeera, urad dhal, channa dhal, coriander seeds, and coconut scrapings to a fine paste.

2. Cut the pineapple to small slices and pressure cook or microwave till it becomes tender.

3. Soak tamarind in a cup of water and extract pulp.

4. Add tomatoes, sambar powder and salt to the pulp, and allow it to boil till the raw smell of sambar powder goes off and the tomatoes become soft.

5. Add the tender pineapple slices and let it come to a boil.

6. Add the ground paste and stir it well and allow it to come to a boil again.

7. Add 3 to 4 cups water to the cooked tur dhal and add it to the boiling mixture. Stir well once or twice, and wait till foam is formed on top and switch off.

8. Splutter mustards in a tspn of oil or ghee and add to the rasam.

9. Wash the coriander leaves, cut them into small pieces and add.

10. A piece of jaggery may be added for a light sweetened flavor.

This may either be taken as a hot soup or mixed with rice and eaten. Those who are not in favour of tangy taste can reduce tamarind and add jaggery.