Nikhita Venugopal, of Taste Cooking, writes in “India’s Peppery Comfort:” “An early description of rasam, according to the late Indian food historian K.T. Achaya, came from Niccolao Manucci, an Italian who came to India in 1654 and spent the next six decades there. “[T]hey sup a concoction which is some water boiled with pepper.”… Some varieties are thickened with coconut, others forgo tamarind for a different souring agent, and it’s sometimes sweetened with a type of cane sugar called jaggery.” In this case, Manjula Bharath incorporates blueberries and uses cooked pigeon peas (toor dal) to thicken the mix. To prepare pigeon peas, sort, clean and rinse them, then soak overnight in cold water. Simmer in water, salted to taste, for about 30-45 minutes. Or scoop out a couple of tablespoons from last night’s dinner if you thought ahead and made Toor Dal: https://www.seriouseats.com/toordal-recipe-8737547 https://www.desifiesta.com/2016/08/blueberry-rasam-south-indian-rasam-wi.html; https://tastecooking.com/rasam-southern-indias-peppery-comfort/
4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 whole red chili
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1½ cups blueberries
- 2 tablespoons toor dal (cooked)
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ground rasam
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon jaggery or brown sugar
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Directions
- Soak pigeon peas, then simmer in water until velvety.
- Dissolve tamarind paste in 1/4 cup water, stirring to homogenize.
- In a pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
- Let them splutter then add curry leaves, whole red chilli, and minced garlic.
- Saute until aromatic, then add the washed blueberries and cook until skins burst and juices are released.
- Add 2-3 cups of water, the cooked mashed toor dal, the tamarind mixture, the chili powder, rasam, turmeric,
cumin, and salt. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in jaggery. - Allow to return to simmer, then remove from heat. Serve as a soup or over hot rice.