Rasam

Method

1. 1 Grind the peppercorns, cumin seeds, and four cloves of garlic with their skins on in a mortar until coarsely ground; grind, not mill, so that the peppercorns remain large for a lingering spicy flavor.
2. 2 Soak the tamarind in 400 ml of warm water for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the juice and discard the pulp.
3. 3 Boil the tamarind water with the crushed mixture, palm sugar, and salt for 10 minutes until the strong sour smell disappears.
4. 4 This version of rasam doesn't use toor beans, so the broth must be clear, and it should only be boiled until small bubbles appear on the surface of the pot before being turned off.
5. 5 Toast mustard seeds with ghee until sparkly, add hing, curry leaves, and two crushed garlic cloves, then pour into the pot and sprinkle with cilantro.

With an appliance

• Microwave 27 min

  Replace step 3: Stir the tamarind juice with the mixture of pepper, garlic, sugar, and salt in a deep bowl at 900 W for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until the strong sour smell is gone; keep step 5 and pour in the hot sautéed spices last.