PINEAPPLE RASAM

Rasam is a popular South Indian dish prepared with tamarind, tomatoes, and Rasam powder. There are many variations of this dish, and each South Indian household has its own recipe for the proportions of the ingredients of the rasam powder. Therefore though Rasam is almost a regular feature in all South Indian households its taste is unique to each. No two Rasam recipes taste the same.

The following recipe has Pineapples along with tomatoes and is very flavourful. It makes for a good soup/ appetizer, for wintertime get-togethers. As you make the Pineapple Rasam the aroma of the pineapple fills the house and you'll have people at home making trips to the kitchen. The secret of a good Pineapple rasam rests in the extraction of the juice in 3 stages. Follow the recipe closely for instruction on juicing the Pineapples. Let's get to the recipe right away

PREP TIME: 20 Mins                                          COOK TIME: 20 Mins

TOTAL TIME: 35 Mins                                      COURSE:  MAIN / APPETISER

CUISINE: SOUTH INDIAN                               SERVINGS: 4

                                                                              AUTHOR: Rajni Ram

Ingredients:

Pineapple   3/4 of a medium-sized one

Tomatoes 2 medium chopped

Tuvar dal 1/2 cup( 1 cup= 150 gm)

Fresh coriander sprigs few

Green chilies 2

Ginger 1 inch piece

Fennel seeds 1 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Rasam powder 3 tsp

Salt as per taste

Asafoetida 1 tsp

Mustard seeds 1 tsp

Roasted Pepper & Cumin powder 1 tsp( dry roast in the ratio 2:1 and grind coarse)

Curry leaves few

Ghee/ clarified butter for tempering

Sugar 2 tsp(optional)

Directions for Pineapple Juice:

Stage 1: chop the pineapples and put them in a liquidizer/juicer and extract juice. It should be a concentrate. Add no water at all at this stage. This is extract 1.

Stage 2: Add 1 to 1.5 cups of water and juice again to get the second extract.

Stage 3: Add 2 cups of water and juice again to get the 3rd extract. Strain the pulp at this stage into the 3rd extract and discard the fiber.

Directions for Pineapple Rasam:

 

Wash the Tuvar dal and pressure cook for 5 whistles, set aside. Now put the chopped tomatoes, coriander leaves, green chillies and ginger in a blender and puree them. Take a 1.5-litre vessel and pour this tomato coriander puree into it. Now add the 3rd extract juice to the above puree. Also add in the salt, Rasam powder, 1/2 tsp asafoetida, turmeric powder, and boil this mixture. Allow it to boil for some time until it reduces to 1/2( Please note that 3rd extract had 2 cups water so that plus the tomato puree, has to boil and reduce to half). At this stage add the cooked dal ( mash lightly) along with the water. If there is no water remaining in the dal add up to a cup to the dal, mix nicely and add to the reduced extract. Now add the 2nd extract juice and continue to boil. Boil until the rasam starts frothing in the vessel and starts brimming up. Keep stirring in between. Now add another 1.5 cups of plain water and continue to boil for another 2 minutes. Finally, add the 1st extract juice, 2 tsp sugar( optional), and put off the stove immediately. The rasam should not be allowed to boil after adding the first extract, as it will lose all flavour. Now temper the Rasam in ghee. Take 2 tsp ghee in a small tadka kadai and heat it. Add mustard seeds and as they crackle add the cumin-pepper powder, 1/2 tsp asafoetida, switch off the stove, and drop in the curry leaves. Pour the tempering into the rasam. Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves. The flavourful Pineapple Rasam is ready to serve. Serve it as an appetizer/soup or with rice for some yummy comfort food.  

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Extract the Pineapple juice following the method mentioned above and keep ready.

2. Gather all other ingredients and keep ready.

3. In a blender put in the tomatoes, coriander leaves, green chilies, ginger, and fennel seeds and blend to a smooth puree.

4. Take a big vessel that can fit around 1.5 litres of liquid. Put the 3rd extract of juice into the vessel and add in the tomato puree. Switch on the stove. 

5. Add the salt, turmeric powder, asafoetida, Rasam powder, and boil. Continue to boil until it reduces to 1/2 the quantity.

6. Now add the cooked dal along with the water into the boiling soup and also add the 2nd extract juice now. Continue to boil until it froths and begins rising. Keep heat at medium throughout.

7. Now add another 1.5 cups of plain water and continue to boil. When it brims up, add the 1st extract juice, add sugar(optional) and put off the stove immediately. Avoid boiling the Rasam once you add the 1st extract as flavour will be lost.

8. Now in a small tempering pan/tadka kadai,  add 2 tsp ghee and heat. Add the mustard seeds, when they crackle, add the roasted pepper-cumin powder, asafoetida, and put off the stove. Finally, add the curry leaves to the tempering and pour the tempering into the Pineapple Rasam. Serve hot as a soup or along with hot rice and a dollop of ghee.

NOTES:

1. Follow instructions for Pineapple juice carefully as it affects the flavour of the Rasam.

2. You can increase or decrease the Rasam powder as per your spice preference. But don't go below 2 tsp for 1.5 litres of Rasam.

3. Sugar is optional, add only if the pineapples are not sweet enough.

4. The roasted cumin -pepper powder is common to all Rasam varieties. You can store this powder in an airtight jar to add to Rasam, Pongal, etc;