Appa's Herbal Rasam

Appa's Mooligai (For Herbal in Tamil) Rasam - My father's famous recipe. My father's encounter in the kitchen was limited to the rare occasions when no ladies available to prepare the food. He used to make Okra (Ladies finger) curry & this Herbal Rasam. Once I was big enough to have encounters with kitchen...there were countless experiments I made on my father & brother. Whatever crap I made they both used to say it was lovely, I would anyway come to know the truth, when I start eating (note the point, I'm never the one to eat first).

Coming back to Rasam, both my brother & I liked it very much, we would demand him to make it once in a while. My hubby also joined the club after tasting this Rasam.

My father kept this recipe a great secret, until I came to US. He gave me this recipe only after using the Magic words that his dear son-in-law is asking for it. Now that I have got it, I want to let the entire world know about his "Secret Recipe". Actually, I have got his permission (don't want to get into copyright issues later :-))

Here is the most simple & yummy recipe.

Ingredients:

Tomato - one small size or half of medium size

Asafoetida - a pinch

Green Chili - 1, cut into half lengthwise

Curry leaves

Coriander leaves

Garlic - 4 to 5 pods, crushed

Salt - per taste

Cumin & pepper powder - 1.5 tea spoons (dry roast cumin & pepper equal amount & powder)

Ghee - 1/2 spoon

Mustard seed

Method:

Bring 4 cups water to boil. Put all the ingredients except for ghee, mustard seeds & coriander leaves in to it.

Switch off once tomato & garlic are completely cooked and the raw smell is gone. Put the coriander leaves, close

with a lid. Heat up ghee in a pan, put mustard seeds, once it starts to sprout pour it in the rasam

keep the lid closed until it's time to serve.

Mix it with rice or just drink like soup as I do.