South Indian Rasam or Charu or broth

Rasam is the best South Indian delicacy. In fact, an age-old belief is that one’s cooking skills can be testified by the quality of Rasam (as it is called in South India) or Charu (in Telugu) or broth (a concoction of a few spicy ingredients) he/she makes. To a large measure, it is true also.

A piping hot Rasam draws people to the dining table spreading so much of fragrance. In financial terms, it can be likened with the #Facebook IPO. If your tradition demands that you should not eat during a solar eclipse, just gulp a glass of rasam and satiate your hunger. 

I intended to post this to leave my mark in the world even if I die tomorrow. Had #Luke Pomersbach  consumed our ‘Rasam’, he wouldn’t have given scope for a complaint of molestation by an American woman. #Shah Rukh Khan alias #SRK consumed this Rasam, he would have not attracted a ban for five years from Wankhede Stadium.

Ingredients to serve five

Tamarind – pulp (two table spoons of pulp)
Tomatoes – 3 (medium size)
Red gram (Toor dal boiled) – three table spoons
Garlic – four flakes
Onion – finely chopped – 1 teaspoon 
Fresh coconut – grated – 1 teaspoon 
Jaggery – two pinches
Turmeric powder (haldi) – pinch
Salt – between half and one teaspoon (to taste)

Rasam powder – Three teaspoons – Use branded rasam powder available in any Indian store or grocery/provision store (Or you can make an amorphous powder of dried-up coriander seeds, black pepper, red gram, bengal gram, cumin seeds, asafoetida (hing), red chillies in equal quantities) 

For Tadka - 

Mustard seeds (one-fourth teaspoon)
Cumin seeds – one-fourth teaspoon
Fenugreek seeds – one-fourth teaspoon
oil – one teaspoon 
curry leaves – seven to 10 leaves
hing – a pinch

Take a saucepan, put oil and the above ingredients and allow it to hot up for a while

Procedure

Boil for 10 minutes – 500 ml of water with tamarind pulp, and cut pieces of tomatoes. Add salt and turmeric powder, boiled red gram (dal), finely chopped onions. 

Add mashed garlic flakes, and jaggery allow it to boil for five minutes. Add Rasam powder.  Allow it to boil for five more minutes and add grated coconut and before taking it off the stove add tadka. 

Now, savour the spicy rasam. This is good for digestion. It is a great appetizer and causes bowels movement in case of constipation. Enjoy the delicacy and write to us how you felt.