Rasam (pineapple)

Rasam with pineapple? Yes. We live in Kerala which always where pineapple is available all through the year. Other than the usual (like pachadi or grilling) why not try something unusual?

My aunt , Jaya Vaidyanathan, makes the BEST rasam in the whole world. And this is her rasam.

Ingredients:
Pineapple - 1 medium 

Masoor dal or tur dal - 1/2 cup

Salt

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida - 1 tsp

Jeera powder - 1 tsp

Coriander powder - 1 tsp

Chilli powder - 1 tsp (or more depending on your spice level)

Ginger - 2 inches long

Green chillies - 5

Tomato - 4

Lime / lemon - may need 2

Coriander leaf - 4 tbsp

Tempering :

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Jeera - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Pressure cook the dal and keep aside.

Skin the pineapple and try to remove all the black (holes??) too.

The pineapple has to be used in 2 ways: as a granish and as a puree.

Chop and keep aside 3 tbsp pineapple for garnish.

The rest has to be ground.

Take 1 big cup of water and add the spices - salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder, asafoetida, jeera powder, coriander powder and chopped ginger.
Cut 2 tomatoes and add to this.

Boil and simmer till the tomato becomes soft and the raw smell of the chilli powder goes. 

Now add the dal to the mixie containing groundpineapple and beat this too.

Add this dal + pineapple mix to the boiled tomato + spice water.

Turn off flame and now we have to sieve the mixture. 

It is NOT necessary to do this, but the rasam tastes better after sieving. So sieving is recommended.

Squeeze out all the juice from the tomato and pineapple. 

Add 2 cups of water as the mixture will be quite thick. It has to be thin and watry.

Taste and add more salt, if necessary.

Boil and simmer for 2 minutes.

Garnish:

Chop the other 2 tomatoes, green chillies, coriander finely. 

We had already chopped the pineapple.

Add this to the boiling rasam.

Now reduce flame, stir and wait for the rasam to froth. Do NOT boil.

Turn off flame. 

Splutter the mustard in ghee.

Then add jeera.

Add this to the rasam. Keep aside until serving time.

The next step has to done just before serving. 

Reheat till frothing the rasam if it has gone cold.

Then taste the rasam and add lime juice to adjust sourness. I had to use 2 tbsp of lime juice.

Once you add lime juice, you MUST not reheat. Serve hot with rice.

Note: Try to not reheat the rasam. If you feel you have made a large quantity, before adding lime juice, keep aside a portion for later.