Manga Rasam - Raw Mango Soup

MANGA RASAM

Once again it is mango season. It is time to include mangoes in almost all the dishes prepared for a full meal. Pickles, curries, salads, dals, sambar, morkuzhambu and chutneys, mango rice, sweets like halwa and payasam prepared out of ripe mangoes - the list of mango based dishes is endless. At least one mango dish a day, is the order of the day, as long as the season lasts!

Here is a recipe for Rasam which is an integral part of a South Indian meal - prepared with raw mango.

INGREDIENTS

Raw mango chopped - 1 cup

Tur dal - 1 cup

Turmeric powder - 1 pinch

Powdered jaggery - 1/4 tsp

Salt - 1 1/2 tsps

INGREDIENTS FOR RASAM POWDER

Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp

Red chillies - 5

Black pepper - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds- 1/2 tsp

Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida - one small piece

Curry leaves - a few

FOR SEASONING

Ghee - 2 tsps

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

FOR  GARNISHING

Fresh coriander leaves ( chopped ) - 1 tbsp

METHOD

1. Wash and chop mango with peel and pressure cook with dal and turmeric powder adding 3 cups of water.

2. Heat one drop of ghee in a pan and fry asafoetida.

3. Add coriander seeds, pepper, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds and red chillies and roast together till it emanates a very pleasant aroma.

( If asafoetida powder is used, add it just before the curry leaves ).

4. Lower the flame and add curry leaves and roast till they become dry.

5. Allow to cool and powder the roasted ingredients and keep aside.

6. Mash the cooked dal and mango retaining a few mango pieces as they are.

7. Add salt and jaggery and boil till they blend with the cooked dal mango mixture.

8. Add rasam powder and wait till it starts boiling.

9. Immediately add 500ml of water in a slow stream, holding the water jug high up , so that the rasam is topped with foam.

10. Lower the flame and add coriander leaves.

11. Cover with a lid and allow the rasam to gather more foam on top.

12. Switch off flame when the raam is just about to boil. Over boiling will kill the pleasant aroma of rasam.

13. Heat ghee in a seasoning ladle and add mustard seeds.

14. When the mustard seeds splutter add the seasoning to the rasam.

Enjoy the flavoursome Manga Rasam with hot rice topped with a spoon of pure ghee or  relish  the tangy rasam sip by sip from a tall glass topped with a dash of ghee.