As the week winds down, I want to do the same as well. The work week is probably hectic for most people. It doesn’t matter whether you work outside the home or not. There are tons of never-ending chores, to-dos and obligations to fulfill. Covid has reduced the opportunity to socialize and get ready for parties, but it seems that other “stuff” has already occupied that time available. Parkinson’s Law states “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion”. This definitely holds true for me. How about you?
I’ve talked about self-love in the past. This goes back to the airline example: the announcement says, “wear your oxygen mask before you help others with theirs”. How can you pour from an empty cup? How can you help others if you’ve depleted yourself until there’s nothing left to give?
Self-love and self-care are also about nourishing your body. About taking care of it, since it is the only place, we have, to live in. Eating soul-warming foods is just as important as listening to wonderful music, curling up with a book, holding a warm and cuddly pet, or simply going for a walk and breathing in the cool, crisp air.
How to Make Rasam
This is a perfect dish for the days when you are immersed in self-care. This easy-to-make recipe can be put together in a jiffy.
Usually, lentils, tomatoes, cilantro and rasam powder are needed to make the traditional version of rasam. This recipe, however, is made from pantry items. So long as you have onions, and your masala box is filled up, it is easy to whip this up. In South Indian homes, rasam is eaten with rice, veggie curries, papad and ghee. In addition to the traditional way, I love to pour this rasam into a stainless-steel lota (glass), add a generous dollop of ghee and slurp it down. You can serve this soup as a mid-day warming drink in lieu of tea or coffee. Or you can have this at lunch as a soup, with warm toasty bread.
You literally dump everything from whole coriander seeds, chopped onions, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder to curry leaves into a pot of water and allow it to come to a boil. As the saying goes, a watched pot never boils, so busy yourself with the next step.
Tempering the Rasam
While the above concoction is on the “go”, you quickly put together the “cream on top”. No, not the dairy cream. This is a tadka. Also called tempering.
The tempering brings life to the dish. Not like a cherry on top of a cake (which is solely for looks, methinks). It completes the dish, like the final flourish of the keys of the piano after a scintillating performance.
To temper, you must use ghee if you want the authentic flavor. Coconut oil comes in a close second. Throw in the tempering items with abandon, let the fragrant aromas waft into your nostrils (assuming you are not stuffed up due to seasonal allergies). Pour the tempering into the rasam and enjoy. It is that simple!
Thanks to my friend Radhika for sharing this family recipe with me. I make it often, and it is a much-loved hot, healthy and spicy picker upper.
Rasam is a classic example of traditional functional food with all its ingredients having clear nutritional benefits. Onions and turmeric are anti-inflammatory foods. They have antioxidant effects and have been linked to a reduced risk of cancer, lower blood sugar levels, and improved bone health. Studies show that the capsaicin in hot peppers can reduce inflammation and decrease the chances of heart disease. So, why wait to spice up your day?!
Soups for the Winter Months
Don’t forget to check out our other heartwarming, delicious soups while you’re here:
- White Wine Infused Carrot-Ginger Soup
- Uma’s Veggie-Medley Soup
- Spicy Buttermilk Soup
- Roasted Butternut Squash & Black-Eyed Peas Soup
- Vegan Creamy Mushroom Soup
- Yellow Mung Detox Soup
- Creamy (Sans Cream!) Broccoli Asparagus Soup
- Raw Red Bell Pepper Soup
- Chilled Cucumber Dill Soup
- Tomato Soup with Seasoning
- Thai Curry Vegetable Soup
- Pepper Rasam
- Creamy Vegan Chayote Squash Soup
- Purple Cauliflower & Sweet Potato Soup
- Easy Tomato-Garlic Rasam
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Easy Rasam Recipe (No Rasam Powder or Dal Needed)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Onion - Finely chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Tamarind - Small lime size
- 1 Teaspoon Coriander Seeds - Dhaniya Seeds. Whole
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt - Or to taste
- 10 Curry Leaves - 1 frond
- 1/4 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder - Or to taste
- 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 5 Cups Filtered water
- 1/2 Teaspoon Sugar - Or jaggery
Tempering
- 1 Teaspoon Ghee - Make your own Ghee! Substitute with coconut oil for vegans
- 2 Teaspoon Onion - Finely chopped
- 1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 2 Dry Red Chili - Or to taste
- 10 Curry Leaves - 1 frond
Instructions
Rasam
- Soak fresh tamarind in water (if you use warm water, the tamarind will soften quickly).
- Squeeze out the juice. Compost the seeds and fiber.
- Chop onions, wash and de-stem curry leaves, wash and drain coriander (dhaniya) seeds using a tea strainer.
- In a pot add, tamarind water, whole dhania/coriander seeds, chopped onion, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and curry leaves and let it come to a boil on medium flame. Stir once in a while. Add sugar or jaggery before turning off the stove, to offset the sourness.
Tempering:
- In a small pan, add ghee and when it heats up, add mustard seeds, red chilies, chopped onions and curry leaves. Sauté until you can smell the fragrant aroma.
- Pour the tempering into the rasam, mix well and serve hot with rice and vegetables, or slurp it down as a soup.
