The Omavalli/Ajwain leaves are medical and are believed to cure a common cold and boost immunity. These leaves are also used in making Pakodas and are really flavourful. Other than Rasam and pakodas the Ajwain leaves are also used to make a raita. This Omavalli rasam can be relished with hot rice and ghee or can just be sipped as a soup.

I have different varieties of Rasam in my repertoire like Pineapple rasam, Vetrilai Rasam/Betel leaves Rasam, Murungakkai/drumstick Rasam. Please check out the recipes of these Rasams while you are here.

Here is the recipe for Omavalli/Ajwain leaves Rasam. I have not given a stepwise picture for this recipe as I have included a video with important steps for guidance.

 PREP TIME: 10 Mins                                         COOK TIME: 20 Mins

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Omavalli/Ajwain leaves 5 big ones (2 small ones chopped fine)

Tomatoes 2 large

Green chilli 1

Directions: Grind the Omavalli/Ajwain leaves, tomatoes, and green chilli to a puree. Pour this puree into a 1-liter vessel and add 2 cups water. Put the vessel over the flame and add the Rasam powder, Salt, turmeric powder, and asafoetida and bring it to a boil. Keep boiling until the rawness of the tomatoes and the powders is gone. Now add a few chopped Omavalli leaves and continue to boil for 30 seconds. Add the dal water along with the mashed dal to the boiling puree. Add another 2 cups plain water and continue boiling until the rasam froths up and rises to the brim of the vessel. This should be done on low flame. When the rasam froths and rises, switch off the flame and add the juice of half a lemon. Now in a small tadka Kadai/pan take ghee/oil for tempering and heat. Add mustard seeds, as they crackle, add some Ajwain/Omam seeds, followed by asafoetida, cumin-pepper powder, and a few chopped Omavalli. Fry the tempering for 10 seconds. Put off the flame. Add curry leaves to the tadka/tempering. Now pour this tempering into the rasam, serve hot with rice and ghee or sip as soup.

 

 

NOTES:

1. More Omavalli leaves can be used for an intense flavour.

2. I have also used the seeds while tempering, as it gives a nice aroma and flavouring to the dish.

3. I usually don’t use tamarind for variety Rasam recipes like Vetrilai Rasam, Pineapple Rasam, Murungakkai Rasam and Omavalli Rasam, as I feel the acidity of the tamarind will suppress the flavours of these vegetables and herbs. So lime juice is a subtler option for the tanginess. But if one prefers tamarind to lemon, go ahead, but since I have not used tamarind anytime for these recipes, I’m not sure about the taste.

If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you. If you have a query about the recipe email us and ill respond as soon as I can.

 

While you are here please check out the recipe of Pineapple Rasam.

Here is the recipe of Vetrilai Rasam for you–

 

 

Ingredients:

Betel leaves/Vetrilai 10-12 leaves(refer note 1)

Tomatoes 5 (note 3)

Tuvar dal/ Yellow lentils 1/4 cup cooked in a pressure cooker

Rasam powder 3 tsp

Green chilli 1

Lemon 1

Coriander leaves finely chopped

Garlic(optional) (refer note 2)

Asafoetida 1 tsp (split 1/2 while boiling and 1/2 for tempering)

Turmeric powder 1 tsp

Salt as per taste

Directions:

Put the dal in a vessel and cook it in the pressure cooker. I used pot in pot method, you can use whichever is convenient. The dal should have cooked well. Remove the stalks from Betel leaves, reserve one leaf for garnish and put the remaining in a blender, put 2 chopped tomatoes and the green chilli into the blender too, and grind them to a smooth puree. Chop the remaining 3 tomatoes into big cubes and put them in a 1-litre vessel. Add the Betel leaf-tomato puree also to this vessel and pour 3 cups water(1 cup =150 ml). Put the vessel on a medium flame and add the Rasam Powder, followed by turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt. Boil the mixture until the raw smell of the Betel leaves and tomatoes is gone(around 7 minutes from boiling on medium flame). Now separate the water from the cooked dal and reserve. Mash the dal nicely with the back of a ladle. Pour the dal into the boiling mixture followed by the reserved water and add 2 to 3 cups of more plain water. Now continue to boil the mixture on a low flame until the Rasam froths up and boils and starts rising in the vessel( around 10 minutes on low flame). Don’t let it to overflow. When it rises up squeeze the juice of 1 lemon and put off the flame immediately. Now take 2 tsp ghee in a small tempering Kadai and heat. Add mustard seeds, as they crackle add the Asafoetida powder, roasted pepper-cumin powder and put off the stove. Now add the curry leaves to the ghee, and pour the tempering into the Rasam. Garnish with finely cut Betel leaves(only 1 leaf will do) and coriander leaves. The yummy Vetrilai Rasam is ready to slurp. Enjoy and Bon Appetit.

Serving suggestions: Just as a soup, with hot rice and ghee, with Oats porridge(try this it tastes yummy).

Sometimes I also pour it on my chapatis while hot.????

STEPWISE RECIPE FOLLOWS:

1. Assemble all ingredients. Cook the dal and keep ready. Remove the stalks from the Betel leaves, cut them to big bits, chop the tomatoes and keep aside.

 

2. In a blender put in the cut Betel leaves(reserve 1 for garnish), 2 chopped tomatoes, and green chilli and puree them smooth.

 

3. In a 1 litre vessel put the remaining 3 chopped tomatoes and the Betel-tomato puree and pour 3 cups of water. Put the vessel on the flame. Now add Rasam powder, Salt, turmeric powder, asafoetida and bring to a boil on medium flame. Keep boiling until the raw smell of the rasam powder and the Betel leaves goes away. This takes approximately 7 minutes on medium flame.

 

4. Now mash the dal nicely, if the dal has retained water, reserve it. Pour the dal into the boiling Rasam mixture, follow it up with the reserved dal water and add 2-3 more cups of plain water, and start boiling again on low flame.

 

5. Around about 10 minutes of boiling on a low flame the Rasam should start frothing up and rising in the vessel. When it starts coming towards the brim, add lemon juice and put off the stove immediately.

 

6. In a tempering Kadai heat 2 tsp of ghee. when it heats up put the mustard seeds into it, as they crackle add the asafoetida and the roasted cumin-pepper powder. Put off the flame and then add the curry leaves. Drop this tempering into the Rasam and serve hot with hot rice and ghee or follow any of the serving suggestions given above.

1. Betel leaves come in many varieties, but 2 of them are popular and in common use. One is light green and thin(the one I have used and you see in my pictures) another is a little deeper shade of green and the leaves are thick. So if using the light green ones use 10 to 12 leaves. If using the darker ones then reduce the quantity by half, use about 6-8 leaves as their flavour is more intense.

3. I have used the sweeter hybrid variety of tomatoes(Bangalore ones) which I usually don’t, hence I used 5 of them. If using the country variety(Naatu thakkali) then 3 should be enough. Two to grind and two to put chopped.

4. If you serve Rasam with something unusual do let us, know..we love learning and trying new combinations.

If you tried this recipe and liked it please comment below. I would love to hear from you.