Rasam Recipes

Ingredients :

2 whole crabs

3 shallots, coarsely pounded

5 cloves garlic, skin left on, roughly smashed

2.5 cm (1 inch) ginger, roughly smashed

3 tbsp oil

5 dried chilies, torn in half

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp black peppercorns, finely ground

1 tbsp coriander, finely ground

1.5 tsp fennel, finely ground

1.5 tsp cumin, finely ground

1 tsp fenugreek, finely ground

2 sprigs curry leaves

100g (3.5 oz) tamarind pulp

1 liter (4 cups) water

1.5 tsp salt

2 large ripe tomatoes, halved

Method :

Remove the legs and claws from the crabs and keep the body aside for another dish.

Pound or blend the shallots, garlic and ginger. Heat oil and fry pounded mixture together with chilies for 2 minutes. Add turmeric, ground spices and curry leaves. Fry for another minute.

Soak the tamarind in the water for 10 minutes. Squeeze and strain to obtain juice. Add juice to the pot and bring to boil. Add the crab claws and salt and squeeze in the pulp from the tomatoes. Add squeezed skin of the tomato and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve with rice and vegetable dishes.

Note - This is the version of Southern Indian Rasam, believed to be an aid to digestion.

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