Milagu Jeera Rasam / Pepper & Cumin Rasam

Milagu Jeera Rasam is a broth to soothe cold, chills, sore throat, and every other crummy condition of the body and mind. The perfect antidote for those times when you are feeling under the weather and just want to curl up in bed. The last few days have been like that at home. These are those (many) times when I wish someone would magically enter the kitchen and make a steaming pot of comforting rasam for us. But, this rasam is so easy to prepare that it literally takes 20 minutes to prepare, and 15 minutes of it is just the rasam boiling away while you curl up.

This is another classic recipe that comes down from my great grandmother, grandmother, and now, my mother. It takes me back home.

This is an invigorating rasam that is meant to have some bite and spice, thanks to the pepper. Pepper and ghee are considered medicinal in Ayurveda. And cumin is great for the tummy. This is an all- round Indian counterpart of Chicken Soup.

Ingredients (serves 3-4):

1. 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2. 1 teaspoon jeera / cumin seeds
3. 1 teaspoon dhania / coriander seeds
4. 6 + 3 curry leaves
5. 1 teaspoon toor dal / tuvaram paruppu / yellow lentils
6. 1 dry red chilli
7. 1 inch ball of tamarind soaked in 1.25 cups hot water for 20 minutes
8. 1/4 teaspoon hing / asafoetida
9. 2 teaspoons ghee / clarified butter
10. 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
11. salt as needed

Preparation:

1. Extract tamarind juice from the softened pulp and add it to a sauce pan. Discard pulp, but add all the water. Add salt and hing and boil on medium heat for 10 minutes until the tamarind doesn't smell raw. 
2. Grind together - peppercorns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, 6 curry leaves, yellow lentils and red chilli to a coarse powder. Mix the powder with a little water so that it's easier to mix with the tamarind broth. Add this to the tamarind broth and mix well.
3. Add 1.25 cups of water and boil on low-medium heat for 5 minutes until rasam is frothy around the edges. Remove from heat
4. Heat ghee and season it with mustard seeds. Wait for the mustard seeds to crackle. Add remaining curry leaves and add the seasoning to the rasam and stir well. 

Serve with hot rice for a comforting meal.