Plum Rasam

Ingredients (Serves 4 persons)

To dry roast on low flame & grind to coarse powder

• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon cumin/jeera seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander / dhania seeds
• 1 teaspoon toor dal
• 1 teaspoon chana dal
• 2 cloves garlic (optional)
• 1 sprig fresh curry leaves
• 3 whole dry red chillies, broken

To boil

• 200 gm or 5 nos Indian plums
• ¼ cup toor dal, cooked with a pinch of turmeric until mushy (optional)
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1 green chilli, slit
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 teaspoons rasam powder (detailed above)
• 1 teaspoon jaggery if plums are too sour
• Water as required
• Salt to taste

For the tempering:

• 1 teaspoon oil / ghee
• Pinch of asafoetida / hing (optional)
• 6-8 curry leaves / kadipatta
• ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds / rai
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds / jeera
• 1 dry red chilly
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves, for garnish

Procedure:

1. Boil the plums in hot water with ¼ teaspoon salt for 5 minutes, remove the seeds & skin, mash well.
2. Return to heat along with 1 cubed tomato & boil covered for 5-7 minutes until mushy. Remove the skins.
3. Grind both the plums & tomatoes together into a smooth paste.
4. Boil the mixture in a deep steel vessel with cooked toor dal (if using), grated ginger, salt, green chillies, 2 teaspoons of the above rasam powder, jaggery, salt and water as required.
5. Most important-a good rasam is never boiled after adding rasam powder as it can turn bitter. As soon as tiny bubbles start to appear and a froth starts to form on the top, give it a quick stir, turn off the flame. (refer video below)
6. Remember rasam is a soupy consistency preparation.
7. For the seasoning, heat oil in a small pan, add mustard & cumin seeds, a pinch of asafoetida (optional), curry leaves and pour over the prepared rasam.
8. Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves.