Pepper rasam is one of those comforting must-have recipes. This is the perfect jeera milagu rasam to treat the common cold, cough and throat infection. It can be served as a soup/drink or have it with a rice and poriyal (dry veggie stir-fry with coconut).
Take cumin seeds, black peppercorns and dried red chili in a pan and turn the heat on medium-low. Dry roast for few minutes or till you get the nice aroma of the roasted cumin seeds. Remove it from the pan and let it cool down.
Then crush into the mortar and pestle. You can grind into the dry spice grinder (coffee grinder).
Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Once hot add mustard seeds and let them pop. Then add curry leaves and dried red chili.
Immediately add smashed garlic cloves and fry for few seconds.
Add hing. Right after that add chopped tomatoes.
Mix and add salt and turmeric powder.
Cook for few minutes or till tomatoes gets soft and slightly mushy.
Now add crushed cumin pepper powder.
Add water and tamarind paste.
Let it simmer for 5-6 minutes then turn off the stove.
Notes
Remove the stem and break the chili in half and remove the seeds. These are not good for your body, so better to discard.
I have used ready-made paste which is easily available in Indian grocery stores. You can use dried tamarind, if so soak in hot water for 30 minutes, rub it between the fingers to remove the pulp, strain and use the tamarind water.
Never simmer the rasam for more than 5-6 minutes, otherwise, it loses its flavor.