Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Garlic- Tomato Rasam

Rasam - means juice. But here it does not mean tomato juice. It is a good appetizer, helps good digestion and always accompanies sambar and Curd in traditional Meals. Mom's Rasam is famous among our relatives in Kerala. It is an anti-flatulent.

Ingredients:

Black Pepper: 1 tbsp
Jeera or cumin seeds: 1 tbsp
Cilantro seeds: 1 tbsp
Curry leaves: 2 tbsp
Cilantro leaves: 2 tbsp
Garlic cloves: 3 (medium sized)

To be soaked:
Tamarind: a small marble size
Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
Salt: As needed
Tomato: Medium sized.
Water: 2 cups

For seasoning:
Oil: 2 tbsp
Mustard Seeds: 2 tsp
Green Chilli: 1 (split vertically)
Asofoedita: 2 pinch
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Method:

Take water in a bowl. The water can be warm water or water taken from cooked thur dal (only water not the dhal). Soak tamarind and tomato in it for 10 mins. Add turmeric powder, and salt. Blend dry the first set of ingredients in a blender. No need to make it a paste. Add this as well to the water. When the water is lukewarm smash with hand the tomato and tamarind which would have become soft by this time so that it gets well mixed with the water and the other ingredients.

Heat oil in a kadai, add mustard seed and allow it to splutter, immediately add asofoedita and cumin seeds then add green chilli (keep away when you put green chilli it may splutter) and when it comes to boil add the rasam to it and allow it to boil for two mins. Once done remove it from the flame and transfer it to a bowl and decorate with some cilantro leaves on it and keep it closed till before serving. The flavor will remain intact.

This rasam can be had with rice or sometimes drunk raw. Drinking raw helps to over come fullness of stomach and enables you to eat stomach full ( :-)

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