My Memories of Rasam – the Quintessential Comfort Food

Rasam! An indigenous invention that’s millennia old! And a recipe that stands apart in the kitchens of South India.

Memories, history and a whole lot of spice – it’s all in a bowl of rasam.

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

Rasam! It's piping hot, spicy with a hint of tang. Variants range from an almost clear yellow soup to a golden brown broth. An indigenous invention that's millennia old! And a recipe that stands apart in the kitchens of South India.

My first memory of food is, of course, 'paruppu saadam' or 'pappannam' in Telugu, doused with two tablespoons of ghee, mildly salted, and flavoured with fresh tomato Rasam, cooked in the traditional 'eeya chombu'.

I break down the memory for you, into the ingredients, the recipe and the history.

Take a listen, and hopefully you'll get a taste of the quintessential comfort food, age no bar.

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