Jhiva For Love (Rasam - Spicy South Indian Soup)

Summers during childhood usually passed at my grandmothers place. "Ammamma" thats how I called my granny, which means mother's mother. She was very tender and gentle by nature and took great pleasure in feeding me while sharing memories of her childhood, her marriage with my grandfather, her days as a young bride so on and so forth.... I used to read the bhagavatham for her at bedtime lying down in her lap.

Mashed rice with rasam and a dollop of ghee is all that comes into my mind whenever I think of her. As I got older I began to get addicted myself to this delicious mild looking broth made with tangy tomatoes and fragrant coriander. 'Rasam' aids in digestion, helps in getting relieved from sinuses, and above all a comfort food that soothes the indian palatte. This can be served as a soup accompanied with pappadums, pakoras, any other starter or just eat it with plain rice. A perfect combo on winter nights. I feel honored to pay tribute to my grandma thru jhiva for love

We need ....

Medium sized tomatoes - 5 (cut into cubes)
Rasam powder - 2 tsps (I used 777 Madras rasam powder)
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp (increase if you want a more spicy version)
Tamarind - 1 small lemon sized ball (soaked in 3/4 cup water)
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
asofetida/hing - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For the tadka/popu.....

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Dried Red chillies - 2 (broken to half)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch (for garnish)

How to....

• In a sauce pan, heat ghee and oil together. Add tomatoes, turmeric, hing and mix well. cover and cook till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy and the juices running out.
• Add pepper, rasam powder and mix well.
• Add water and bring to a boil
• Squeeze out the pulp from soaked tamarind and add it to boiling rasam.
• Add salt to taste, mix well. Cover and simmer for 5 mts.
• In a pan, heat oil on low flame. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and allow them to crackle. Add dried red chillies, curry leaves. Fry for 30 secs. Turn off the heat and add the popu/tadka to rasam.
• Garnish with cilantro/coriander. Serve hot with rice, ghee and papaddums