By Deepali Verma
April 6, 2024
Did you ever imagine that the water used to wash rice could create a flavourful and nutritious dish, known for its reputed benefits against joint pains? This age-old South Indian recipe, cherished in villages and passed down through generations, celebrates simplicity and wellness in every comforting sip.
Rice washed water - 2 cups Tamarind - a lemon size Sesame / Gingelly Oil - 3 tbsp Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp Urad Dal - 1 tbsp Fenugreek - 1/2 tsp Green Chilli - 3 Red Chilli - 2 Curry leaves Asafoetida / Hing - 1/2 tsp Shallots / Small onion - 25 Water - to dilute Chopped Coriander - a handful Salt
To get rid of the dirt, wash the rice and throw away the first water. Put water on it, rub it well, and then separate the water. The colour will be white, and it will taste good.
You can now add the tamarind pulp and set it away. Heat up the oil in a pan by adding the fenugreek, green chilli, red chilli, curry leaves, and hing.
Chop up the small onion; it adds more taste to the rasam than the big onion. Sauté until it turns brown. Pour the rice water and tamarind pulp into the pan. Add salt and water to thin it out. Let it cook for at least 15 to 20 minutes to get all the tastes out. Make sure you add enough water for it to cook and reduce.
Garnish with chopped coriander, and it's done! Put this on top of steaming hot rice and enjoy.