Pirandai (Adamant Creeper) has plenty of medicinal properties. If you plant a small piece, it will keep growing, even in adverse conditions, with very little water. Now you know why it is called Adamant Creeper :). I had made earlier Pirandai Thuvaiyal, Pirandai Kolambu etc. Now, let us see how to make Rasam. If the creeper is tender, all that you have to do is to break and peel them easily with your fingers. But, if they are aged, you have to cut each section with knife and pull out the skin from all four sides of the Pirandai pieces. Apply Oil in the hands before handling this vegetable as it is known to cause itching while peeling, cutting etc. Pirandai Rasam can be served as a soup or with steamed Rice and eaten.
Ingredients:
Pirandai – 3 feet
Oil – 2 tsp + 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
Fenugreek – 1/8 tsp
Cumin Seeds – ½ tsp
Dried Red Chillies – 2
Turmeric Powder – 1 pinch
Salt to suit taste
Tamarind – gooseberry sized ball soaked in a cup of warm water
Jaggery – 1 small piece
Water – 5 cups
Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves – 2 tbsp
To grind:
Tomato – 1 (chopped)
Black Pepper – 1 tsp
Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
Method:
Cut each section of the Pirandai, peel off the thin skin and then cut into small pieces.
Take the pieces in a colander, add 10 to 15 leaves also and rinse them in running water. Avoid using hands to handle them after cutting them.
Heat 2 tsp of Oil in a pan. Add the leaves and the chopped Pirandai pieces. Sauté till the pieces are cooked well. It takes about 3 to 4 minutes in medium flame.
Add chopped Tomato, Black Pepper, Cumin Seed and the sautéed Pirandai. Grind them all together to a fine paste.
Heat a tbsp of Oil in a vessel. Add Mustard Seed, Fenugreek Seeds, and Cumin Seed and dried Red Chilli. Let the Seeds start crackling. Add Curry Leaves and stir for few seconds.
Add the ground paste and sauté till the water content in the paste evaporates.
Add Salt and Turmeric Powder. Squeeze out the Tamarind extract and add to the above. Add 4 to 5 cups of water. Mix well. Adjust Salt. Add more black Pepper Powder if you want the Rasam to be spicier.
When everything comes to a rolling boil, add the Coriander Leaves, mix and switch off the flame.
Serve hot with rice or as a soup.
Note:
It is a very thin watery soup. I added 5 cups of water and 1 cup of Tamarind water – totally 1 ½ litre of soup. You can adjust the quantity of water depending on your requirements.
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