Rasam

Ingredients

Tamarind : lemon size
Turmeric Powder : 2 tsp
Red dried chilli : 5 - 7
Green Chilli : 3 - 5
Asafoetida : a small piece
Jaggery : a small piece
Salt : as needed
Red gram dal :100 gm
Peppercorns :14 - 20
Cumin :1 tbsp
Coriander leaves : as needed
Curry leaves :as needed
Oil or ghee : as needed
Mustard : ½ tsp

Method    

Cook red gram dal and when cooked, add 2 - 3 cups of water and blend well.
Coarsely powder peppercorns and cumin.    
Add ¾ cups of water to tamarind and prepare extract.
In this manner prepare extract two more times.
If we prepare extract with 2¼ cups of water the taste will change.
To this tamarind extract, add slit red and green chillies, asafoetida, jaggery, curry leaves, salt and let it boil.   
When the tamarind extract is reduced to half add pepper,cumin powder and dal water.
In 5 minutes a layer of bubbles will be formed.
Remove from stove.
Heat oil or ghee in a frying an add mustard, curry leaves and when mustard splutters, add to rasam.
Garnish with cut coriander leaves.
If needed, 4 pods of garlic can be fried along with mustard and added to the rasam.


This recipe is taken from the book "Samayal Samragiyam" by Arusuvaiarasunatrajan published by Karpagam Puthakalayam