Pineapple Rasam

Pineapple Rasam

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.

Pineapple Rasam Recipe
Preparation: 25-30 mts
Serves 4-5 persons
Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients:

• 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:

1 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.
2 Add pineapple puree and continue to cook on medium flame for 2-3 mts.
3 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.
4 Add this to the rasam and combine. Turn off heat and place lid. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with white rice and appadams.