Rasam

This sour & peppery spice-filled soup is one of my dad's remedies for stuffed noses, sore throats and colds... Of course, we always have it stocked up in the fridge (ready to warm up) to "wet" & add more taste to our staple steamed white rice. Personally speaking, there's something comforting about spicy rasam on a rainy day!

Rasam

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Tamarind juice/ paste
2 Garlic pods - crushed with the back of your knife

1 large Onion - sliced thickly

Curry leaves

A wee bit of oil

Water - 3 cups

Salt to taste

1 dried red chilli - snapped into quarter lengths

1 tablespoon roasted red dhal (the small dark orange ones)

1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder

1/2 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Method:

1. Using a pestle & mortar or spice/coffee grinder, grind red dhal with cumin, turmeric and peppercorns into a powder.

2. In a pot, heat oil and fry garlic, onions, dried chilli, curry leaves and spice powder until aromatic. In a bowl, mix tamarind paste with water and add it into pot. Salt to taste. Bring to a boil until all bubbling and then lower heat and leave to simmer for about 2-3 minutes.