Paleo Pineapple Rasam
2013-01-21- Cuisine: Indian
- Course: Side Dish, Snack, Soup
- Recipe Type: Gluten Free, Lactose Free, Paleo, Vegetarian
I have mentioned that Taylor and I love Indian food. I had never heard of rasam before, but I loved the idea of pineapple and spices. I am so glad that a woman named Anu Murthy shared a delicious family recipe! It took very little effort to make this recipe Paleo. Instead of canned pineapple I used fresh, and using a method that I learned from my friend Julie Hayes, it was plenty juicy for this sweet and spicy soup.
Julie told me that if you buy a fresh pineapple, store it upside down for a day or two before cutting into it, and it will be incredibly juicy. Being upside down, the juices get a chance to distribute evenly from the bottom to the top. I wedged mine between the wall and my block of knives. Wherever you find a place to keep it balanced, it is worth the effort!
The natural sweetness of fresh pineapple is complimented by the small amount of raw honey that I substituted for the brown sugar in the original recipe. The spiciness of the soup can be varied according to your taste, but I kept the other spices the same. I had everything on hand but the mustard seeds. I would normally try to improvise, but with a dish that I’d never tried before, I wanted to keep the flavors authentic. It was worth the effort. I didn’t even have a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, and I managed just fine!
I toasted the seeds in a nonstick pan, then let them cool for a few minutes. Then, I poured them in a ziplock bag, sealed it, placed it on a hard cutting board, and using the glass bottom of a spice can, I ground the seeds into a toasty powder. You can use a blender or Vitamix to blend the ingredients together. The only other step it to gently heat the soup up! Pour it into a medium soup pot and let it simmer for a few minutes.
It is such a delightful juxtaposition of flavors, and so simple to create! I have enjoyed it on its own as a snack, and also served it with my Indian-inspired Lamb Meatballs! It would also pair nicely with my Paleo Indian-Style Chicken and Paleo Bombay Sweet Potatoes!
Ingredients
- 1 fresh pinapple, cubed
- 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tbs organic butter, melted
- 1/4 tsp mustard seeds, toasted and ground
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbs raw honey
- fresh or dried cliantro, as garnish
Instructions
- 1. Wash pineapple, cut off outer skin, cut fruit around core, and into cubes
- 2. In a small nonstick pan, toast cumin and mustard seeds, tossing frequently on a low heat
- 3. Remove from heat
- 4. Place spice in a ziplock bag, seal and with bottom of glass spice container, break apart mustard seeds
- 5. Add mustard seed and cumin mix to blender, along with water, turmeric, ginger, red pepper flakes, and salt
- 6. Place pineapple chunks, then honey in blender, and seal lid tightly
- 7. Blend on HIGH for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until smooth
- 8. Pour into sauce pan and simmer on low/medium-low heat for 5-10 minutes
- 9. Serve with fresh or dried cilantro as a garnish, if desired
- 10. Enjoy!