Finally I’m posting the lip smacking Padi Puli Rasam, a tangy
tamarind rasam – an authentic recipe from my fatherland Padi, a small village
untouched by the city smog. My mother is literally addicted to this like most
Tamilians. I’m now taken back to some fond memories of having piping hot rice
and rasam on a plantain leaf. Priceless!
This recipe is super simple and needs very little time of
yours. Read it! Rasam it! J
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| PADI PULI RASAM |
Ingredients:
- 4 cups water
- Tamarind – gooseberry sized
- 1 medium sized tomato
- 7 – 8 curry Leaves
- 7 -8 small garlic pods unpeeled
- ¼ tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp asafoetida/ peringayam
- 3 dried red chillis
- Rasam powder (Grind 1/2 tsp roasted pepper corns + 1 tsp roasted jeera)
- 2 tsp of chopped coriander
- ¾ tbsp rock salt
- 1 tsp oil
Method:
- Soak tamarind in ¼ cup of water for about 10 minutes.
- In another bowl, pour the remaining water and add the rock salt.
- Grind the garlic pods coarsely in a blender or if you have a pestle and mortar you can mash it well.
- Grind the tomato in a blender. Now add this and the mashed garlic to the bowl of water.
- Now crush the tamarind with your hands to extract all the juices. Stop drooling while you do this J
- Add this to the bowl of water and mix everything together. Time to taste, balance the flavours.
- Toss in the curry leaves.
- Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. Wait till it splutters, then add red chillis and then peringayam.
- Add this tempering to the rasam mixture. Place the bowl over the fire for 6 -7 minutes in simmer.
- You’ll see the rasam froth and boil for a minute, add the rasam powder and take it off the stove. This is important to retain the rich flavours.
- Now sprinkle the chopped coriander. Serve it with hot rice.