Pineapple Rasam / Annasipazha Rasam

Pineapple Rasam is one of my favourite rasams / soups. The unique flavours of this rasam emanating from the vessel during the preparation process itself  kindles your hunger and the spicy delicious rasam is an excellent accompaniment in any South Indian Meal. Whenever I see a pineapple at my kitchen, I make sure that a portion of this golden yummy fruit gets transformed as I like.!!!

Coming to the preparation process, it takes less than 15 minutes to make this rasam. Quality of the pineapple plays a key role in this rasam. 

Ingredients

Fresh Tasty Pineapple chunks - 2 cups

Tamarind extracted water - 1/2 cup

Tomato Puree - 3/4 cup

Pineapple Puree - 1 1/2 cup

Water - As Required

Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp

Rasam Powder - 1 tsp

Cumin & Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tbsp

Salt - To Taste

Green Chilli - 1 

Fresh Ginger- A small cube

Cooked toor dal - 1/4 cup

For Tempering

Asafoetida - A Dash

Tomato pieces - 1 tbsp

Pineapple pieces tiny - 1 tbsp

Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 Stem

Dry Red Chillies - 2 

Ghee / Clarifies Butter - 1/2 tbsp

Method

Soak the tamarind in warm water and extract the juice and keep the filtered thick tamarind extract water ready.

Cook the toor dal and dilute 1/2 cup of the cooked toor dal and keep it ready.

Make the Pineapple puree by grinding the cleaned pineapple chunks, a green chili and the ginger cube in a blender without adding any water and keep it ready.

Make the tomato puree by grinding a fully ripen tomato in a blender and make it ready.

In a cooking vessel, add the tamarind extract, pineapple puree, tomato puree. To that, add turmeric powder, rasam powder, little asafoetida, half the quantity of cumin&black pepper powder and required amount of salt.. Add a cup of water and cover the vessel with a lid. 

Allow the content to cook till the raw smell of the tamarind goes off.  At this stage, add the diluted dal water into the rasam vessel. Add required amount of water into it. 

Cover the lid and allow them to cook on a low flame.

Meantime, do the tempering process. In a tadka / tempering pan, add ghee first. When its heated, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chili, curry leaves, asafoetida and the remaining cumin/black pepper powder in order. When they are nicely tempered, pour them over the rasam.

Keep it on the stove till you notice nice froth on the top layer of the rasam. Switch it off once you get enough froth on the top.

Serve the hot, spicy, aromatic rasam with hot rice and ghee and enjoy. It can be a good appetizer too.

Tips /  Suggestions

Addition of  tamarind extract is optional. I basically like to blend the pineapple flavour with tamarind in my rasam. 

Do not boil the rasam for more time, then you might loose the real flavour and freshness. As soon as you get enough froth at the top layer, switch off the stove.