At some point either once in a fortnight or once a month we feel tempted to have this pepper jeera rasam and all the more when one is down with illness, severe congestion and cold. Nothing like this fiery yummy liquid sloshing down your throat giving instant heat and relief. You may even sweat!!

Fortunately in my house we like this every time I make so no need to have cold to taste it. I resort to this rasam also when I am rushed for time and need to make one in a hurry.

There are many ways to make this simple rasam , with a powder, paste or fresh from scratch as it very easy and ingredients easily available in our spice box. I am suggesting a paste and powder for those who like to carry with them while travelling , sending it with your hubby or children when they leave home to live in dorms for higher studies.

It is preferable to send Pepper cumin powder mix when they are travelling as the shelf life is long where as they need to store the paste in fridge after some time.

To prepare Pepper Cumin Rasam powder to make instant rasam.

Ingredients:

To roast and grind

1 red chilly
2 tsp toor dal
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tsp cumin seeds
1 lemon size ball of tamrind
Pinch of turmeric powder
A good Pinch of asafoetida powder
Some curry leaves.
salt to taste.
To temper

1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1-2 red chillies.
2 tsp oil or ghee for tempering.

To make powder

In a pan , dry roast all ingredients except tempering ingredients and salt till a nice aroma wafts across. Remove and keep aside to cool.Next roast tamrind till brittle, add some curry leaves, roast till crisp and keep aside to cool.

Grind to powder all the above roasted ingredients .Add salt.. Keep it slightly coarse.

Prepare the tempering and add to powder, mix well. Let powder cool down before bottling in an air tight container.

Pack this in small zip loc bag with instructions to prepare Instant pepper cumin rasam .

To prepare Pepper rasam out of this ready to make rasam powder.

Take a pan add some water, add around 2 tbsp of this prepared powder, boil well, add fresh curry leaves if you like.
Remove and enjoy. No need to temper as it is already added to the mix.
To prepare Pepper cumin Rasam paste .

Take all ingredients mentioned above in list of ingredients to roast and grind., add tamrind which has softened in warm water before , grind all the ingredients except tempering to a chutney like consistency with drops of water.

Take a pan , add some generous amount of sesame oil ( Preferred) , temper first with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, red chilly , add the ground paste, little water , salt, turmeric powder, sautee well till the mixture bubbles and thickens well.The oil will float on top. Remove and store well after it is cooled completely.

This paste will stay good for a fortnight.

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