Thippili (Long pepper) Rasam

Thippili or long pepper has a lot of medicinal values. It improves digestion and appetite. It helps treat cold, cough, and sore throat. My mom always says food is medicine, in Tamil it is Unavae marundhu aagum

Ingredients:

small lemon size tamarind, soaked in 1/2 cup water

4 dried long pepper fruit (arisi thippili)

3 sticks dried long pepper root (kandan thippili)

3/4 teaspoon black peppercorn

1 teaspoon toor dal

1 teaspoon coriander seeds (dhania)

4 dried red chili

5-6 fresh curry leaves

1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 pinch asafoetida

1 cup dal water 

                     

For tempering:

1 teaspoon ghee

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Method:

1. Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup water, and take extract, discarding tamarind.

2. Heat tamarind pulp with salt and turmeric in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the raw smell of tamarind leaves, 5-7 minutes.

                                                            

3. While tamarind pulp is cooking, make rasam powder.

4. Heat 1/2 teaspoon ghee in a pan on low medium heat. Roast peppercorn, coriander seeds, toor dal, long pepper, red chili, and curry leaves. Turn the stove off and add cumin seeds. Allow to cool and powder the ingredients. Keep aside.

                                     

5. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the the rasam powder to the saucepan with tamarind water. Bring it to a boil.

                                                               

6. Mix 2 tablespoons cooked toor dal with 1 cup water. Mash well and strain the water from dal. Pour this dal water to the rasam. Simmer until until the rasam froths. Turn the stove off. 

7. Heat 1 tablespoon ghee in a small pan. Temper mustard seeds, curry leaves, and a pinch of asafoetida. Serve hot over rice, or drink as a soup.