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| Lipakshi Sharma aka 'Lipi' |
Contributed by Lipakshi Sharma
A 20 something Account Manager of a leading Bank, Lipakshi also famous as Lipi spends her days exploring new places and learning new things and cooking is one such passion
A little about Rasam:
Rasam, is a South Indian soup. It is prepared with tamarind juice or tomato, pepper and other spices. Lentils are added by some along with vegetables.It is eaten with rice or alone, as a soup. In a traditional meal, it follows the sambar course and is followed by curd rice. It differs from sambar in that it usually relies on tomatoes for its sourness rather than tamarind, and it is usually much more fluid.
In Tamil,'Rasam' means Juice. It can refer to any juice but simply Rasam commonly referred to the one prepared with Tamarind/Tomato juice with added spices.
There are different kinds of rasam, varying by ingredient:
Tomato rasam, Lemon Rasam, Meriyala/Milagu (Pepper) rasam, Neem flower rasam, Ginger rasam, Garlic Rasam, Pineapple Rasam, Parupu (Dal) rasam etc.
Recipe:
We are now going to make Rasam by using the shortest method. All my recipies are for people who lack time to do it the long way :)
Ingredients:
Tomato(medium) - 3 nos
Tamarind(Imli) juice/paste(thick) - 1 tbsp
Garlic pods(crushed) - 2 - 3 nos
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Rasam powder - 2 tbsp ( My favourite one is MTR's Madras Rasam Powder, available at your local Indian grocery Store)
Curry leaves - A few
Coriander leaves - A few (chopped)
Oil - 2 tbsp
Water - 3 cups
Salt - As reqd
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Dry red chillies(Kollamulaku) - 1 no (broken into 2 pieces)
Procedure:
- Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a heavy bottom pan.
- Add mustard seeds and when they crackle, add red chillies and saute for a while.
- Add crushed garlic and stir for a minute.
- Add chopped tomatoes and salt and stir, till the tomatoes blend well.
- Add turmeric and rasam powder and stir for a few seconds.
- Add the tamarind paste and mix well.
- Add curry leaves, coriander leaves and water.
- Boil rasam on low flame for about 7 - 10 mins.
- Finally, you can sprinkle asafoetida powder(optional).{Asafoetida is usually contained in Rasam Powder.}
- Your rasam is ready.
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| Rasam can be had as plain soup or traditionaly with rice |
