A special variety of Rasam, this one is made usually during weddings and is something we don’t usually make during a normal lunch. I have made this many aeons ago and so this week when I opened a tin of pineapple, I decided to keep aside some to make this yummy rasam.

Rasam is a spicy soup made in south India using tamarind juice, pepper, tomato, cumin and other spices and each household has their own unique recipe which they make on a daily or regular basis. Rasam has a distinct sour, peppery and chilly taste that makes it a true repository of flavours. Rasam is either eaten along with rice or savoured after a meal. The British also adapted this rasam and what is Mulligatawny Soup is nothing more than rasam. In Tamil, this word translates to “Pepper Water”

Rasam prevents constipation, is a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals, facilitates digestion, is rich in antioxidents, helps in weight loss, is an excellent food for patients recovering from illness and the best food when introding babies to solids.

Pineapple Rasam

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup Toor Dal
• 6 rings of pineapple
• 1 tsp rasam powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 tsp peppercorn
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4-6 dried red chillies
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

• Pressure cook the toor dal with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and enough water till it is soft and mushy. Keep aside.
• Chop 2 of the pineapple rings into small pieces and keep aside.
• Chop one tomato into small pieces and keep aside.
• Powder the cumin seeds, peppercorns and 2 dried chillies into a coarse powder and keep aside.
• Blend together the balance pineapple slices into a smooth paste and keep aside.
• Blend the remaining tomato into a smooth paste and keep aside.
• In a largish pan, mix together the tomato puree, 1 cup water, the remaining turmeric powder and half the quantity of the blended peppercorn, cumin and dried chilli powder and let it start boiling.
• When it comes to a boil, add the pineapple paste and rasam powder and let it continue to boil. Allow the pineapple paste and tomato puree to cook well.
• In a separate pan, add the ghee and when the ghee warms up, add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add in the red chillies, after breaking them into halves, the asafoetida, rest of the ground pepper-cumin-chilli powder and saute it for 20 seconds
• Add the chopped pineapple and tomato pieces and saute it for 2 minutes in a medium flame
• Add the ingredients in the pan to the rasam which has been boiling all along.
• At this point, add the mushed dal and mix well.
• Then add 1.5 – 2 cups of water and keep the flame in a medium level until the rasam starts to froth. Finally, garnish with coriander leaves and remove from flame.
• The delicious and spicy pineapple rasam is ready to serve. Serve with rice and an Indian dry vegetable stir fry.

Notes:

• If you don’t have access to rasam powder, just omit it, the taste should be just as good.
• You can also blend together some garlic pods along with the cumin seeds, peppercorns and red chillies for a different taste.
• This is wonderful as a slightly spicy and tangy soup during the winters.