Pineapple Rasam

There is a popular belief that , 'We can check any person's cooking skill with the taste of the rasam they make'. Because even though the rasam may seem a very easy item to make, it needs a lot of care and patience.
One can master the art of preparing an authentic rasam by keeping the following in mind.
1. Don't boil the rasam after adding salt. Put off flame on seeing the bubbles / froth.
2. Don't use black or old tamarind.
3. Use freshly ground rasam powder and fresh ingredients to get a more healthy rasam.

A rasam made with pineapple will definitely sound classic to any Rasam fan.
Like all the rasams , pineapple rasam also helps in digestion. Some nutrients present in the pineapple is believed to reduce the body fat to some extent.
So here is a super healthy rasam made with all the freshness of pineapple.



Ingredients:
Tamarind - a strawberry size
pineapple - 1 cup (chopped)
cooked toor dhal - 3 tbsp
water - 3 cups
turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
fenugreek seed - 1/4 tsp
Dry red chilly - 2 (torn into pieces)
curry leaves - 1 sprig
cilantro - 1 tbsp (chopped)
salt - to taste
oil /ghee - 1 tsp
garlic - 4 pearls

To roast and grind:
Coriander seed - 1 tbsp
Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
Black peppercorn - 1 tsp
Dry red chilly - 1


Method:
Step 1.
Grind the tomato with 3/4 cup of pineapple coarsely.
Soak tamarind in hot water , filter and extract juice using 2 cups of water.
Take a vessel and add the tamarind extract,Turmeric powder, mashed dhal, mashed tomato + pineapple in it.
Start heating the vessel.
Roast the items given and grind along with fresh garlic pods.
Add this rasam powder also to the above vessel and bring it to a boil.
Switch off flame once it comes to a boil.
Now add salt to taste.
Step 2:
Heat oil / ghee in a pan.
Add mustard seeds , fenugreek seeds and allow them to splutter .
Add some asafoetida (hing), cilantro, red chillies and curry leaves.
Run the seasoning over the hot rasam.
Step 3:
Finely chop the rest of the pineapple and sprinkle over the rasam.
Close the vessel tightly to retain the flavor.

Pineapple rasam is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve hot with plain steamed rice or simply in cups to drink.
Having a cup of rasam after lunch or dinner is highly recommended for good health.

Puliyotharai

'Puli saatham' , the name itself has the power to make any one drool. There are so many variations in making a puli saatham.
In Tirunelveli (TamilNad, India) ,we call it as Puliyotharai. The main variation is the addition of garlic and its roasted ingredients .Moreover we have the habit of using pure chekku Nallennai otherwise called Virgin Sesame oil for the pulihora and dosai.
After tasting the dosas and Puliyotharai made with that virgin sesame (gingelly) oil we cannot satisfy our taste buds with the branded gingelly oil.
Still I remember the vacations amma and chithi making Puliyotharai for our temple visits. The post brings me the memories of our vacations in Tiruchendur resorts (a beach side village famous for its Lord Murugan Temple) and the long train journeys to Madras:) Mom used to pack the puliyotharai in broiled banana leaves.(Placing the banana leaf over the fire for a few seconds make it flexible to pack food). I have always wondered if the aroma of the puliyotharai comes from the banana leaf or by the gingelly oil:) But now I am sure it is by the love of the person who prepares it:)
Anyways here goes the recipe for Puliyotharai.

Other names: Puliyodharai / Tamarind rice / Puli saatham / Pulihora.


Ingredients:
Raw ponni rice (Pacharisi) / Basmati rice - 1.5 cup (300 gm)
Salt - 1 tsp (to taste)
Tamarind - a lemon size ball
Gingelly oil - 4 tbsp (2 tbsp per cup of rice)
Garlic - 10 pearls (must)
Channa dhal - 1 tbsp
mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Unroasted Ground nut - a handful
Cashew nut - 15
Dry red chilly - 4
Curry leaf - a sprig.
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida (perungayam)- a pinch

To roast and powder afresh:
fenugreek seed (venthayam) - 1/2 tsp
mustard seed - 1 tsp
oil - 1 tsp

Cooking the rice:
Cook the rice with 1/2 tsp salt and ample water .
Drain the excess water. Spread the cooked rice in a wide plate (thambalam) and let it cool completely.

Puliyotharai powder:
Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok and fry the fenugreek seed and mustard till we get nice aroma.
Cool and powder it in a hand mortar / blender.

Puli kaachal (Tamarind masala):
Heat 1 tbsp gingelly oil in a wok. Fry the ground nut, cashew nut separately and keep aside.
Again heat the remaining oil in the same wok.
Add mustard, Channa dhal, red chillies (torn into bits),curry leaf , asafoetida and fry well till mustard pops.
Then add the peeled garlic and stir till the garlic starts turning golden.
Extract juice from tamarind using 1 cup of water and pour the juice into the wok.
Now put the Turmeric powder , salt and boil till the oil starts showing.
Then add the freshly grind powder. Turn off heat.
Puli kaachal is ready. We can store it in refrigerator for further use also.

Puliyotharai preparation:
Sprinkle the roasted nuts over the cooked rice.
Add the puli kaachal to the cooked rice little by little and mix well till it tastes good (not too sour).
Puliyotharai is ready!
Keep the remaining gravy refrigerated for further use.

Serving suggestions:
Serve as main course lunch / dinner / breakfast.
Serves 2 adults.
The best side dishes can be the crispy masal vadai and thengai thovaiyal (thick coconut chutney) or simply with potato chips.
It goes well with hard boiled eggs too.

Note:
Tamarind rice cooked in this manner can stay fresh for nearly 3 days without refrigerator. So it can be packed as a best packed food for a long journey, if we prefer home made food.
If packed for a long journey , make separate parcels for every time use. Do not mix the touched food along with fresh one. Do not keep coconut chutney for the journey as it will get spoiled soon. Care should be taken not to touch the food with hand / wet spoon while cooking , if we need a long shelf life.