Long before cough syrup, South Indian households had milagu rasam — a peppery, tangy soup-like dish that clears a stuffy nose and warms you up from the inside. It's one of the simplest rasams to make, and one of the most effective when you're feeling under the weather.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp SAFT Whole Black Pepper, coarsely crushed
- 1 tsp SAFT Whole Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp SAFT Coriander Powder
- 1 small lemon-sized ball of tamarind, soaked
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- A few curry leaves, 2-3 crushed garlic cloves
- Salt to taste, a pinch of turmeric
- For tempering: 1 tsp ghee, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, a pinch of asafoetida
Method
- Coarsely crush the black pepper and cumin seeds together using a mortar and pestle — this releases more flavour than pre-ground powder.
- Extract the tamarind water and add it to a pot with chopped tomatoes, turmeric, curry leaves, and crushed garlic. Bring to a simmer.
- Add the crushed pepper-cumin mix and coriander powder. Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes — do not boil vigorously, rasam is meant to stay a thin, light consistency.
- In a small pan, heat ghee and temper with mustard seeds and asafoetida. Pour over the rasam.
- Serve hot on its own as a soup, or with steamed rice.
Pro tip: Freshly crushing whole pepper and cumin right before cooking makes a noticeably bigger difference in rasam than in almost any other dish — the aroma fades fast once ground.
Shop Whole Black Pepper and Whole Cumin Seeds from SAFT Masala.
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