Fruit Rasam (பழ ரசம்)

Rasam is gentle, soothing and suitable even during sickness. I have not posted new rasam recipes for more than a month. Hence, I would like share two 'rasam' recipes with you today. Rasam can be made with some fruits (!) and they impart a unique flavor to the rasam. My grandmother used to make fruit rasam (பழ ரசம்) on and off. Fruit rasam can also be served as a soup or appetizer.

Ingredients: (Serves four) 

Tamarind – the size of a large gooseberry

Toor dhal – cooked, two tablespoons

Rasam powder – 1 tablespoon

Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon

Apple (ஆப்பிள் பழம்) – one, cored, cut into cubes*

Salt – to taste

Asafoetida – a pinch

Ghee – 1 teaspoon

Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon

Curry leaves – a few 

Coriander leaves – chopped, 1 tablespoon

Method: Dissolve pressure cooked toor dhal in 100ml of water and keep aside.  Soak tamarind in warm water for 15-20 minutes. Later, squeeze the tamarind and extract the juice.

Cover and cook apple pieces in a kadai on low flame with little water. Add rasam powder, salt and turmeric powder to the tamarind juice, mix well. Once apple is cooked, add the tamarind juice mixture and bring it to boil. Now add dhal water to the boiling mixture. Reduce the flame and allow it to simmer till the rasam froths. Add asafoetida and remove the kadai from fire. Heat ghee in the tadka pan/spice pan (தாளிக்கிற கரண்டி), add mustard seeds and when they starts to sputter, switch off the fire. Add the seasoning to the rasam. Garnish with curry leaves and coriander leaves. Serve hot with rice and poriyal/kootu/ appalam.

*You may use pineapple (அன்னாசிப் பழம்) or wood-apple rind (விளாம் பழத் தோடு) instead of apple. 

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