Araithu Vitta (Ground paste) Rasam

We are right now at war with the invisible coronavirus, and it has definitely put us in the back foot at the moment.

Studies about the coronovirus have clearly shown that patients with stronger immune system fare better when infected by it. And talking about the immune boosting foods that are also tastier, the popular South Indian rasam will certainly be on the top of that superfoods list due to the immune boosting spices like the black pepper, jeera, garlic, turmeric and chilies that go into it.

In a typical rasam recipe like my Paruppu (Dal) Rasam which uses tomatoes and garlic, the tomatoes are generally mashed into big chunks, garlic is crushed slightly, and other ingredients like the chilies and coriander leaves with stems are chopped into big pieces and boiled together first before we add the rasam powder. This type of rasam preparation leaves a lot of residue at the bottom which is mostly thrown away (but I follow my dad and my mom and simply mix the bottom residue with rice and eat it too…).

Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, we have to wisely use the available ingredients in the pantry so that we can minimize the trips to the grocer as much as possible. I am happy to present you with this “araithu vitta” (meaning ground paste) rasam recipe wherein all the rasam ingredients are ground into a fine wet paste to avoid wastage of ingredients. This way. in a crisis situation like we are facing now, more quantity of rasam can be prepared using lesser quantities of the ingredients than you normally need otherwise.

This “araithu vitta” rasam recipe is from my mother. I improvised it a little bit wherein I have also added the green chilies, coriander leaves (with stems) and fresh curry leaves while making the wet paste so there is zero wastage.

This rasam tastes amazing and I made a big pot couple of days ago and all in the family have been drinking it every day like soup. You can also mix this rasam with hot rice and enjoy it that way too.

For useful tips and tricks to help with stress free cooking during this COVID-19 outbreak, please see my blog Cooking during challenging times.

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Araithu Vitta (Ground paste) Rasam

A South Indian soup like superfood made from tamarind stock, and a specially made ground rasam paste comprising of immune boosting spices.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Keyword Dal Rasam, Paruppu Rasam, Rasam

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 4 people

Author Senthil Sadasivam

Ingredients

Ingredients to grind for rasam paste

• 1/2 tbsp Black pepper
• 1 tbsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp Coriander seeds
• 1/4 cup Coriander leaves with stem chopped
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 1 tbsp Toor dal
• 2 Tomatoes chopped
• 5 Garlic cloves peeled
• 1 Green chili chopped
• 1 Red chili broken

Rasam stock

• 1/4 cup Cooked, mashed toor dal optional
• 1/4 cup Tamarind juice
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Hing
• Salt to taste
• 3 cups Water

For Tadka

• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 1/2 tbsp Oil

Instructions

1. In a food processor, make the wet rasam paste using the ingredients listed.

2. In a bowl, prepare rasam stock mix with ingredients listed.

3. Heat oil in a pot, do tadka with mustard seeds and then pour the rasam stock, wet rasam paste and boil for 10 mins. Check and adjust salt level.

4. Drink it like a soup, or mix with hot rice and enjoy.