SWASTIK
PINEAPPLE/ GOOSBERRY RASAM.
Everybody
goes through food blues, which is due to moods or health reasons and one needs
comfort food, to feel better. To soothe the nerves and bring back the zing
factor one needs a dish which can pep, one up in no time. Being on a holiday,
is no fun, if one falls ill and feels low. I recollected my hotel days and the food we
served when some of our guests or celebrity guests fell sick. Most of them be
it Dilipvengsarkar or Sunilgavaskar asked for soup and once they tasted the Rasam
, soup was a forgotten chapter.but our southern men, be it Maddy, Sivaramakrishnan or Srikkanthfrom
Chennai are great fans of the rasam. Be it molaguRasam, MysoreRasam or
nellikai/ pineapple rasam. The history of rasam is as interesting as the rasam
itself. Rasam,is also called,chaaru,
saaru or kabirsoup, traditionally prepared in south India, with the base
being Tamarind ,Gooseberry,Lime or tomato juice as a base, Iteven caught, the imagination of the British
when they ruled here.. Thus mulligatawny soup or Rasam was born and became a
standard dish internationally
. The Indian cuisine is
closely related to the Indian history, each historical region developing a
unique set of dishes, using diverse ingredients. The Rasamwas discovered during
the Pandiyantimes according to some stories. When the ruling kings , son fell
ill refusing to eat anything, a decree, was sent out that a dish prepared which
the prince would eat, would earn a bag of gold coinsfor the cook.Karunas was
the a small time Brahmin priest, and cook and he decided to try his luck ,with
a dish he had invented., and had whenever he was feeling ill or down.He got
hold of locally available materials or that which was available like lime, curry leaves, gooseberries . Pineapple
which came all the way from the NE, black pepper, salt, turmeric and smashed it
all together, adding water and boiling it.it turned out to be a delicious
concoction and thus when the prince was served with this, he not only recovered
but made it a state favorite. Thus Gooseberry, Pineapple rasam found its way
into the royal kitchens and became a part of Indian history.Portuguese
traders are said to have taken Pineapple,seeds to India from the
Moluccas in 1548, and the Eastern states developed it in a large way. Pineapple
symbolizes good health and good luck.
·
No other country, has a wider selection
of exotic dishes and no other country, can offer such a large variety of
temptations.for your taste buds.
- Koli Saaru -
chicken
- Kadalai Saaru -
black chickpeas
- Venkaaya Saaru -
onion
- Kattu saaru -
lentils and Byadgi chilies
- Tili saaru -
sieving water from plain rice
- Thakkaali Rasam
- tomato puree
- Poondu Rasam -
garlic
- Inji Rasam -
ginger
- Mudakathaan
Rasam - balloon vine
- Maangaa Rasam -
Raw mango/ Semi ripe Mango Rasam
- Elumichai Rasam
- lemon juice
- Nellikkai Rasam
- Indian gooseberry
- Murungai Poo
Rasam - drumstick flower
- Vepam Poo Rasam
- neem flower
- Kandathippili
rasam - greens
- Bassaaru/Kattu
saaru - boiled vegetables/greens/lentils
- Milagu black
pepper---also called Mullagutawny.
- Jeeraga Rasam -
cumin
- Pineapple
Rasam/Beetroot Rasam - respective fruits/beet
- Puli Rasam -
tamarind extract
- Hesaru Kaalu
Saaru - Green gram
- Parupu Rasam /
Pappu Saaru - pulses and tomato stock
- Baellae Saaru -
pigeon pea
Pineapple/ gooseberry exotic rasam.
Preparation
Time: 15mins
Cooking
Time: 20 mins
Serves:
5 to 6
Calories
per cup serving---210cl.
Ingredients:
1. Pure ghee-1 tbsp..
2.
Pineapples – 1 cup chopped finely
3.
Gooseberries/nellikai---1 cup deseeded
and grated or cut fine.
4.
Tomatoes – 1 medium size chopped finely
5.
Green Chili – 1 slit
6.
Jaggery – 1 tblspn
7.
Salt to taste
8.
Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi – 1 tsp.
9.
Toor Dal / Tuvaram Paruppu – 1/4 cup
cooked and mashed
10.
Coriander leaves a handful finely
chopped
11.
Coriander leaves –a handful washed and chopped
fine.
For Rasam Masala:Rasam
Powder[dried coriander, red chilies, asafetida, toovar dal, channa dal , methi
seeds, black pepper, jeera,all roasted and powdered – all 1 tsp each.
12.
Garlic – 3 fat cloves
13.
Option—use 11/2 TBSP of 777
rasampowder.if you do not have time to make fresh masala.
For Grinding:
14.
Tomatoes – 3/4 medium size chopped
15.
Pineapples – 3/4 cup chopped
16.
Gooseberries. 3/4 cup.
17.
Keep rest for seasoning.
For Seasoning:
18.
ghee– 1 tsp.
19.
Mustard Seeds / Kaduku – 1 tsp.
20.
Cumin Seeds / Jeera – 1 tsp.
21.
Asafetida/ Hing / Kaya Podi – 1/4 tsp.
22.
Dry Red Chili – 1
23.
Some of the left over pineapple pieces.
24.
Some of the gooseberry pieces.
25.
Curry leaves a sprig
Method:
26.
Roast on slow fire all the masalas and
grind to a mix. Set aside.
27.
Grind pineapples and tomatoes to a
smooth puree and set aside.
28.
Heat 1 tsp. pure ghee in a kadai. Add
in left over chopped pineapples, chilies and tomatoes and give a good sauté.
29.
Add in crushed masala and mix well.
30.
Add in jaggery, turmeric powder, rasam
masala, ground pineapple, gooseberry, tomato and mix well.
31.
Pour in6 glasses water and tovar dal
dal. Bring everything to a good boil.
32.
Once it reached a boil, turn the heat
off.
33.
Make tempering by heating oil and
crackling mustard, cumin, hing, dry red chili and curry leaves. Pour this over
the rasam and mix well.
34.
Add in lots of chopped coriander leaves
and mix well.
35.
Serve this delicious rasamhotafter
pouring a spoon of ghee on top.
KITCHEN TIPS
1MakeRasam powder and store I in the fridge for fresh taste.
Always serve rasam in copper or a mud cup, for the
best taste.
Chef ramaashankeraiyer.
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