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Pomegranate Rasam

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course soups stews
Cuisine south indian
Servings 3 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup toor dal - pressure cooked (with 3 cups water and turmeric)
  • 1 small lemon sized tamarind soaked in 1/2 cup hot water
  • 1 cup pomegranate arils
  • 1 tsp jaggery
  • 1 pinch turmeric powder
  • 1 pinch asafoetida
  • 1/2 tsp salt

For tadka:

  • 1 tsp ghee
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
  • 8 - 10 curry leaves
  • 2 green chillies slit length - wise

Instructions
 

  • To prepare pomegranate rasam, start by mashing the cooked tur dal with water until you get a thin soup consistency. You can even do this in a blender.
  • Squeeze the tamarind pulp into the hot water. Strain and keep aside.
  • Grind the pomegranate seeds with 1/2 cup water. Strain well to get roughly 3/4 cup pomegranate juice.
  • In a pot/ a heavy bottomed vessel, place the mashed toor dal. Add the tamarind extract along with turmeric powder, pinch of asafoetida, rasam powder, salt and jaggery. Allow to come to a gentle simmer on a medium-low flame. Take the vessel off the flame.
  • In a tadka ladle, heat the ghee. In hot ghee, add the ingredients for tadka. When they begin to crackle, put it into the rasam pot. Add the pomegranate juice, give it a stir and keep covered until you serve.This rasam is bursting with flavours- sweet, tangy, spicy. Served piping hot on a rainy day- it is heavenly bliss.

Notes

Notes:
Rasam powder is a grounded mix of red chillies, coriander seeds, red gram dal, peppercorns and cumin seeds. Every home has it's own recipe for rasam powder. I just borrow a bottle from mom.
~You may garnish with finely chopped coriander
~Rasam can be served as an appetising soup or to be eaten with rice and ghee
~Some freshly cracked black pepper on the top can make this an ideal home remedy for the sniffles. Call it the vegetarian's chicken soup :D
~Mango / Pineapple / Lemon rasam can be made in a similar fashion. Idea is not to boil the rasam after the fruit juice has been added