First, they serve caru, spiced strongly with pepper, the pungency of which penetrates like some hot vapour into the ears.........."
Tamilians have been slurping the concoction for at least 600 years. We know this from disparaging indictment of rasam made by the 15th century Telugu poet, Srinatha- (1370-1441) who was a Kavi Sarvabhauma (Emperor of Poets), patronised by many kings -the Kondavidu Reddys, Velamas of Rachakonda and Deva Raya II of the Vijayanagara Empire.
This writer of works like Salivahana Saptasati, Panditaaradhyacharita, Sivaratri Mahatyam, Harivilasa, Bhimakanda, Kashikhandam, Shringara Naishadham, Palanati Veeracharitra, Dhananjaya Vijayam, Sringaradipika and Kridabhiramam covering history and mythology, was plainly unimpressed with the Tamilian idea of a feast, which began with the ear-scorching flavour of the rasam, and included pachchadis made with mustard, whose "caustic odor" found its way straight to the brain .........The dinner in a Tamil household is a fraud", Srinatha declares scornfully.
Obviously rasam and its critics go back a long way!
Luckily, so do rasam and its devotees, and they know the difference between being arrogant at rasam and arrogant about it. Which Srinatha perhaps hadn't considered , or he would have learnt to appreciate the fine points of rasam-making and rasam-swigging.
Every rasam-maker learns soon enough that it has a will of its own and can be very temperamental. Sensitive to the mood and attitude of the cook, the rasam knows if you are thinking dark thoughts about the spouse and not paying attention to it, and your less than best efforts at making the ingredients add up to the most aromatic rasam could fall flat, and the magic just fly out the window, leaving your reputation as a cook in tatters.
I've noticed that mother and the aunts look both serene and intimidating while engaged in rasam powder making. They were probably being serene to the powder and intimidating to me. Or perhaps over time, rasam came to respect them, and knew better than to throw a tantrum or go into a sulk .......obviously they knew rasam and kids need to be handled with affectionate firmness. I must be doing this right, because my rasams do not generally flop and shame me, either privately or in public.
How many kinds of rasam?
There are many kinds of rasam, probably one for each day of the month And certainly a rasam for every mood, it has been around 600 years! The kind that needs the powder, the one that needs none, those that ask for tamarind, and some that ask for neither. Pepper rasam, jeera rasam, lemon-ginger rasam.......there is an onion rasam and of course the well-known, garlic rasam . And a very fruity pineapple rasam.
Lucky we have all the time in the world to savour each one slowly, languidly, and when we are done, start all over again.......or make up some new ones to add to the pantheon.
Tamilians have been slurping the concoction for at least 600 years. We know this from disparaging indictment of rasam made by the 15th century Telugu poet, Srinatha- (1370-1441) who was a Kavi Sarvabhauma (Emperor of Poets), patronised by many kings -the Kondavidu Reddys, Velamas of Rachakonda and Deva Raya II of the Vijayanagara Empire.
This writer of works like Salivahana Saptasati, Panditaaradhyacharita, Sivaratri Mahatyam, Harivilasa, Bhimakanda, Kashikhandam, Shringara Naishadham, Palanati Veeracharitra, Dhananjaya Vijayam, Sringaradipika and Kridabhiramam covering history and mythology, was plainly unimpressed with the Tamilian idea of a feast, which began with the ear-scorching flavour of the rasam, and included pachchadis made with mustard, whose "caustic odor" found its way straight to the brain .........The dinner in a Tamil household is a fraud", Srinatha declares scornfully.
Obviously rasam and its critics go back a long way!
Luckily, so do rasam and its devotees, and they know the difference between being arrogant at rasam and arrogant about it. Which Srinatha perhaps hadn't considered , or he would have learnt to appreciate the fine points of rasam-making and rasam-swigging.
Every rasam-maker learns soon enough that it has a will of its own and can be very temperamental. Sensitive to the mood and attitude of the cook, the rasam knows if you are thinking dark thoughts about the spouse and not paying attention to it, and your less than best efforts at making the ingredients add up to the most aromatic rasam could fall flat, and the magic just fly out the window, leaving your reputation as a cook in tatters.
I've noticed that mother and the aunts look both serene and intimidating while engaged in rasam powder making. They were probably being serene to the powder and intimidating to me. Or perhaps over time, rasam came to respect them, and knew better than to throw a tantrum or go into a sulk .......obviously they knew rasam and kids need to be handled with affectionate firmness. I must be doing this right, because my rasams do not generally flop and shame me, either privately or in public.
How many kinds of rasam?
There are many kinds of rasam, probably one for each day of the month And certainly a rasam for every mood, it has been around 600 years! The kind that needs the powder, the one that needs none, those that ask for tamarind, and some that ask for neither. Pepper rasam, jeera rasam, lemon-ginger rasam.......there is an onion rasam and of course the well-known, garlic rasam . And a very fruity pineapple rasam.
Lucky we have all the time in the world to savour each one slowly, languidly, and when we are done, start all over again.......or make up some new ones to add to the pantheon.
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