When I eat rice for lunch, rasam is a must and the meal is never complete without it. And more so during the monsoon as this piping hot comfort soup soothes the soul. There are numerous versions of this simple soup and one of my favorite is an exotic South Indian delicacy, Pineapple Rasam. Refreshing ripe pineapple is put to good use in a spiced rasam to yield well balanced flavors – a tangy, sweet and and spicy rasam. 1/4 cup cooked tur dal/red gram dal/kandi pappu
1 tomato, chopped or pureed
1/4 tsp turmeric pwd
1-2 green chilies, slit
1 1/2 tsps home made rasam powder
1/4 cup pineapple puree
2 pineapple slices, cut into 1″ pieces
1 tsp jaggery or sugar
few fresh curry leaves
salt to taste
3 1/2 cups water
For seasoning/poppu/tadka:
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
pinch of asafoetida/hing/inguva
few fresh curry leaves
2 tsps ghee
Method
Heat a deep vessel, add 3 1/2 cups of water, mashed dal, chopped tomato, pineapple pieces, salt, turmeric pwd, green chilies, few fresh curry leaves, jaggery and rasam pwd and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 5 mts, till the pineapple pieces are cooked. Add pineapple puree and continue to cook on medium flame for 2-3 mts. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and as they splutter, add cumin seeds and curry leaves and stir fry for a few seconds. Add asafoetida and turn off heat. Add this to the rasam and combine. Turn off heat and place lid. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with white rice and appadams.