Coconut Milk Rasam / Thengai paal rasam without tomato

This awesome recipe was shared by one of my friends from School, and her name is Khalida. I would like to thank her for this. I remember my grandma and mom making a modified version of this without coconut milk when I was a kid. Not sure if it is prepared outside Kanyakumari Villages. They use to burn red chili and soak them in stone ground chutney water, add tamarind and salt to have with rice along with thuvaiyal (Chamanthi). Let me get into this recipe from my friend.

Ensure you use small onion and red chili both burnt as shown in picture. I burnt them on my gas stove top. Use thick coconut milk diluted in little water as we would not be using water for this curry. Remember we do not need tomato or other masala in this curry. I would soon post tomato rasam with coconut milk. Just can't wait to try.

Ingredients:

1. Burnt Shallots 3 - 4
2. Burnt Red Chili 1 or 2 as per your taste
3. 2 large garlic pods or 3 - 4 small pods
4. Small piece of ginger
5. Cumin + Black pepper about 1 tb.spn
6. Little Tamarind to make juice, 
7. Coconut milk 1 1/2 cups
8. Salt to Taste
9. Oil , mustard, curry leaves for tempering. 
10. Coriander leaves for garnishing - optional

Preparation:

1. Grind ingredients listed under 1 to 5 to a coarse paste without water. you may simply crush them using a mortar - Refer to pictures here.
2. In a small pan heat oil and prepare the tempering in medium heat. 
3. Add in the crushed spices saute for a minute in low heat.
4. Add tamarind juice and salt as required bring to a boil.
5. Mix in the coconut milk giving a nice stir. Switch off the flame after 30 seconds.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves. 

Enjoy with steamed rice. If you need little more rasam add coconut milk. Prefer not to add water as the dish would lose it's real flavor.

Let me know how you liked it. Did you eat an additional handful of rice :) ????

Once again thanks to Khalida.