Pepper Rasam (Menasina Saaru)

# of servings:  4 -6
Preparation Time:  10 mins	Cook Time:  10 mins

Takes very few ingredients as well as very little time to make.  With some hot rice, it is a great comfort food when under the weather with a cough or cold.  It can be served by itself too as a nice, spicy appetizing drink, soothing to the throat.  

Ingredients:

• Garlic - 6-10 pods
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1.5 tsp
• Roasted cumin seeds - 1.5 tsp
• Black pepper - 1.5 tsp
• Long pepper (pippali) - 4 (optional) 
• Sambar powder - 1.5 tsp
• Jaggery - 1.5 tsp
• Salt
• Tamarind paste - 1.5 tsp
• Red chilies - 2 
• Curry leaves - 1 strand
• Asafoetida - 1 pinch 
• Coriander leaves - 1 fistful (optional)

Method:

• Peel the garlic and chop them into small pieces
• Roast 1.5 tsp of cumin seeds
• Roast black pepper and long pepper (if using)
• Make a powder of the roasted cumin, black pepper, long pepper, and the remaining 1.5 tsp of (unroasted) cumin seeds
• Heat a tsp of oil in a vessel and add asafoetida
• Splutter mustard seeds and add the garlic
• When garlic starts to turn brown, add broken red chilies and curry leaves
• Add the powdered spices along with sambar powder, salt, jaggery, and tamarind paste
• Stir it gently for a few seconds 
• Add 4-5 cups of water
• Mix well and bring to a gentle boil (it should just start bubbling from the edges of the vessel)
• When gentle foamy bubbles form, turn off the heat and add coriander leaves (if using)
• Enjoy with hot rice and ghee

Tips and Tricks:

• Roasting half of the cumin seeds gives a nice aroma to the rasam.  The unroasted half of the cumin seeds aids with digestion
• Garlic adds to the aroma and helps alleviate mucous build-up
• It is important NOT to bring the rasam to a rolling boil or the delicate spices will lose their aroma

Pictures: 

Final Outcome: