Milagu rasam/ Black pepper rasam

This is my mother-in-law's version of milagu rasam/ Pepper rasam. It is great for cold/cough fever days and a very easy one to make in very less time.

Ingredients

Tamarind                                                          A lemon sized ball
Salt                                                                   To taste
Milagu jeeraga podi/ Pepper cumin powder    1.5 tsps
Asafoetida                                                        1 pinch

To temper

Ghee                                                               1 tsp
Mustard seeds                                                 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves/ karuvepillai                               1 sprig


Method

1. Soak tamarind in warm water for 15 mins and extract 2 cups of syrup out of it.
2. Add salt, asafoetida to the extracted tamarind syrup and boil it for 10 minutes in a saucepan.
3. Add 1.5 tsps of milagu jeeraga podi/ pepper cumin powder to it and let it boil for 5 more mins.
4. Add a cup of water, mix well and reduce the heat to low to let it froth.
5. Simultaneously, heat a small stir fry pan and add ghee to it.
6. Add mustard seeds to splutter and curry leaves to splutter too.
7. Pour this on top of rasam and leave it on the stove in low heat for 5 more mins to froth.

Milagu rasam is ready to be had with hot rice and any vegetable or just appalam as a side.