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Rasam
This recipe recalls the days when pepper was the main heating agent in Indian food. It traditionally accompanies a South Indian vegetarian Thali. This recipe derives from Patricia Brown's excellent book Anglo-Indian Food and Customs, which has great recipes along with anecdotes of life as an Anglo-Indian
Ingredients
Masala
- A pinch of Asafoetida
- 1-2 dry red chillis
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin seed
- 1 1/2 tsp coriander seed
- 1 tspn black pepper seed
Main ingredients
- 1 cup toovar dhal soaked in water for 3 hours
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/4 cup oil
- 6 curry leaves
- 1/2 tsp mustard seed
- 1 lg onion, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp fresh garlic/ginger paste
- 1 tsp tamarind puree (tamicon)
- 2 cups of water
Method
- DDrain dhal and cook dhal with turmeric in a pan of water until soft. Just before dhal is ready, add a little salt
- Mash dhal and pass through a sieve. Set aside
- Dry roast the masala ingredients and grind to a fine powder
- In a heavy pan, add oil mustard seed and curry leaves and het until mustard starts to crackle
- Add onion and fry until golden
- Add ginger/garlic paste and fry untl fragrant
- Stir in masala followed by dhal, tamarind and water
- Lower heat and simmer for 15 mins, stirring occasionally to prevent dhal from sticking.
- Check for salt
Rasam is a thin watery dhal. Simply pour over plain rice served with vegetarian curries, papadums and pickles
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