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Pineapple rasam

INSTANT PINEAPPLE RASAM (No dal, no garlic, no onion)

Mildly sweet, spicy and tangy lip smacking rasam or a soup like south Indian tomato broth with some fresh pineapples and simple aromatic spices to make for a comforting dish, always enjoyed with rice or great as a comforting and warming soup too.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine Indian, South Indian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Author Vanitha Bhat

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chopped tomatoes
  • ½ cup chopped pineapple
  • 1 green chili/serrano/jalapeno Optional
  • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder more for color than heat
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder
  • ¼ teaspoon haldi/turmeric powder
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
  • ½ teaspoon rasam powder/sambar powder; optional store bought or homemade
  • 1 teaspoon pink salt or salt to taste

FOR THE TEMPERING OR SEASONING:

  • 1 tablespoon oil or ghee if not vegan
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon jeera/cumin seeds
  • Few curry leaves
  • Freshly chopped cilantro or coriander leaves for garnish

Instructions

  1. To start with, blend 1 cup of chopped tomatoes and ½ cup of chopped pineapple in a blender until almost a fine puree.

  2. Pour this into a saucepan along with 1 ½ to 2 cups of water (do not forget to rinse the blender jar too with this water; no wastage here). You need a soup like consistency here. Mix well.

  3. Bring to a boil on medium high.

  4. Stir in ¼ to 1/3rd cup chopped pineapple (optional) along with 1 small green chili, chopped, sliced or slit into 2 (again optional but adds additional flavor).

  5. Add ½ teaspoon coriander powder, ½ teaspoon red Kashmiri chili powder, ¼ teaspoon haldi/turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder, ½ teaspoon rasam or sambar powder (homemade or store bought; again this is optional but adds that authentic rasam flavor!) and 1 teaspoon (or to taste) pink or regular salt.

  6. Mix well and bring to a boil again.

  7. Simmer on medium low for 5 minutes; adjust consistency and seasonings. If the rasam is too tangy (due to the pineapple), stir in a tablespoon or two of jaggery/brown sugar. I did not have to but if you like your rasam a bit on the sweeter side, feel free to add some sweetener.

Final step is the tadka or tempering:

  1. In a small saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil (or ghee if not vegan); once hot, add 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds and let it pop. Allow it to fully crackle and then sprinkle ½ teaspoon of jeera/cumin seeds along with a few curry leaves.

  2. Sauté for a few seconds and immediately pour into the simmering pineapple rasam; stir in.

  3. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro/coriander leaves and enjoy piping hot over freshly cooked rice along with a poppadum/papad and some fresh vegetable stir fry.
  4. This soup is so comforting, warm and chock full of warming spices that it is the perfect winter warmer to enjoy as a soup too!
  5. Enjoy and Happy Slurping 

Recipe Notes

  • Adjust amount of spices according to your preference.
  • If you like, you can add some cooked dal or dal water (toor or moong dal) to the rasam for a protein element.
  • For another flavor twist, feel free to fry some crushed garlic (with skin!) along with the tempering; adds a lovely aroma to the rasam.
  • If the pineapple or tomato is not sour enough to give that tangy twist most rasams have, feel free to add some tamarind juice or paste.
  • Adding jaggery or any sweetener is absolutely a personal choice. If you like your rasams a tad bit sweet, do add jaggery.
  • If you do not have rasam or sambar powder, increase the amount of coriander powder and/or add some of your favorite curry powder or even garam masala powder!
  • As mentioned above, when peaches are in season, do try making some Peach Rasam too or even some amla or gooseberries to enjoy with steaming hot rice or as a soup!
  • Enjoy and Happy Eating!