Milagu Jeera Rasam | Pepper Cumin Rasam

Rasam is one of the most comfort food for South Indians. Typically served as a second course in South Indian meals, I prefer to have rasam as an accompaniment to molagootal, kootu or thogayal. Milagu jeera (pepper cumin) rasam is a quick and flavorful rasam which is made with freshly ground spices and does not have any cooked lentils. 

This rasam is ideal to be served during winters or when you are having cold or cough. The combination of pepper and cumin helps in digestion, relieving cold and gives soothing feel to throat. My mom makes this rasam to serve along with molagootal or kootu. I served this spicy rasam with rice, garlic potato stir-fry and paruppu thogayal. Not only with rice, this rasam can be had as a soup too.  

MILAGU JEERA RASAM RECIPE

{ South Indian tangy soup with freshly ground cumin seeds and black pepper }
Serves 2-3

---

Ingredients:

½ tbsp tamarind paste / gooseberry-size tamarind
¼ tsp turmeric powder
¼ tsp asafoetida / hing
Salt to taste

To grind:
1 tsp cumin seeds / jeera
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp toor dal
1 dry red chilly

To temper:
2 tsp ghee
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
Few curry leaves

Method:

1. In a pan, roast cumin seeds, peppercorns, toor dal and red chilly until nice aroma comes. Cool and grind to a fine powder.

2. Soak tamarind in 1 cup warm water and extract the juice. Add 1 cup water to this tamarind extract.

3. In a vessel, add the tamarind juice, cumin-pepper powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt and mix well. Bring to boil.

4. Boil well till raw smell of tamarind goes. Simmer until the rasam turns frothy. Remove from heat.

5. In a pan, heat ghee and add mustard seeds. When in splutters, add cumin seeds, curry leaves and pour over the rasam.

Serving Suggestion ~ Rice and molagootal / kootu or thogayal and vegetable stir-fry.

Notes and Tips

• Do not boil the rasam after it becomes frothy.
• Usually we do not add garlic in this rasam, but if you want, you can grind 1 or 2 garlic cloves with cumin and pepper.
• Tempering in ghee not only enhances the flavor, also tones down the heat from black pepper and chilly.