Comfort Food Series: Fruity, Light and Flavorful South Indian Style Soup(Rasam)

I have been using fruits quite a bit in my savory foods lately, in chutneys and side-dishes and so on... and I actually find it refreshing(not to mention the fact that the fruits dont go to waste on my kitchen counter). Here is a light and flavorful South Indian style Soup or Rasam with the main ingredient being pears( I have tried it with pineapples, limes as well as apples).

The spice powder / spice mix I have used here is different from the usual Rasam powder that I use, which is available in most grocery stores or in the Asian Indian aisle of the supermarket. Here I used a simple, spice mix...a mixture of coriander seeds, some black pepper and  a touch of cumin seeds so that the fruity rasam(soup) would not be overpowering but still retain the flavor of the fruit while continuing to be tangy like traditional rasam is meant to be.

Here is the recipe and it would be a great accompaniment to hot rice as well as a warm appetiser/beverage by itself.

This fruity rasam soup goes to Nithu's Think Beyond the Usual - Fruits event as well as this month's CWS - Coriander Seeds  guest-hosted by RV and started by Priya of Priya's Easy n Tasty Recipes.

Recipe for Pear Rasam(South Indian style fruity soup):
Serves: 4
Prep/cook time: 20 - 25 mins
Ingredients:
Pears - 1 cut into chunks(any crisp variety more on the sweet side like Bartlett or Anjou or any others)
Tomato - 1 cut into chunks(any firm variety like vine tomatoes)
Green chilli pepper - 1 slit thinly
Tamarind juice - 2 cups
Jaggery - 1/2tsp(optional)
For spice powder: roast and powder coriander seeds(dhania) - 2 tbsp, black pepper - 2 tsp, cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
For seasoning: cumin seeds - 1 tsp, salt, turmeric, curry leaves - a few sprigs, cilantro


Method:
In a pan, add the tamarind juice and to it, add the cut pear and tomato, green chilli pepper, salt, turmeric , jaggery and spice mix.


Let the rasam soup boil well for atleast 10 mins, till it becomes bubbly.

In another frying pan, add a little cooking oil(or a tbsp of ghee) and when it heats up, add the cumin seeds and when they crackle, add the other seasonings and then add all these seasonings to the soup.

Serve hot or at room temperature with rice or as a warm appetiser/beverage.