When we feel tuned in with our body, we pay attention to what it needs to be healthy, and what is needed to heal when sick. When I am not feeling well, one of the first things that my body asks for is something nurturing and grounding—such as mung beans in any form. And when I have a cold, cough or am experiencing congestion, my body asks for something hot and soothingly spicy like turmeric tea or rasam soup.
When sick, we may not want to spend much time cooking, so I like to make a large pot of mung bean rasam and drink it like tea or soup as often as I like throughout the day. The warming spices in the soup aid in opening up the sinuses and melt away the soreness in the throat and the congestion in the chest. The mung beans provide soothing nourishment.
Rasam is a traditional South Indian lentil soup with a rich blend of spices. Its pungency and sour taste stimulate the senses and open the sinuses. Since it is liquidy, it is light on the digestion, which is especially beneficial when convalescing or even cleansing. In some parts of South India, it is served as appetizer and in others its served as an after-dinner drink, in either case it is a digestive tonic.
The base ingredient is the liquid from boiled mung with variations that include tomatoes and tamarind which add the sour taste and garlic, ginger and rasam powder for the pungent spiciness.
Rasam powder is a special combination of spices used in South India to give a distinct flavor; this often includes coriander, cumin, mustard, turmeric, curry leaves, fenugreek, asafetida, black pepper and other spices. I have created my own blend that uses more black pepper rather than red chili pepper to create the spicy flavor which is less aggravating to pitta (the fire element) even when used frequently.
Ingredients
1/4 cup green mung beans
1 tsp Oil (sesame)
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1 pinch asafetida
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
5-6 leaves curry leaves
1 tsp ginger, grated
1/4 tsp garlic, grated
1/2 cup tomatoes, diced
1 tbsp tamarind, dried
6 tsp Darshana’s Special
Blend of rasam masala
powder or 2 tsp
store-bought rasam
masala powder
Directions
- Soak the mung beans for about two to four hours.
- In a bowl, mix the tamarind with warm water and set it aside.
- In a pot, boil the mung beans in three cups of water for 30-40 minutes until they are fully cooked (add more water if necessary).
- As the mung beans begin to soften, add the ginger, garlic, tomatoes, turmeric and curry leaves and cook for another five to ten minutes.
- In a small skillet, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds, once they start to pop, add the cumin seeds and asafetida.Add the spice mixture to the mung dal on the stove.
- Mix the tamarind with the water it has been soaking in, then strain it through a sieve and add the tamarind to the mung.
- Add the rasam masala powder and cook for another four to five minutes.
Rasam can be made as spicy or as mild as you desire based on the quantity of rasam masala powder added.
Serve this hot with rice or as a brew in a cup for relief from colds, coughs or blocked sinuses.
For people with a vata constitution (air and ether elements) or vata out of balance, this gives warmth and adds fire to the body. The mung beans are grounding.
For people with a pitta constitution (fire element) or pitta out of balance, a version that is a little diluted would be recommended.
For Kapha, a little rasam would be beneficial even in regular diet, as a digestive drink post-dinner to increase their digestive fire.
Darshana Thacker Darshana teaches the traditional Ayurvedic technique of simple spice combining and food preparation. Her intimate, kitchen-based classes illustrate the simple preparation of well-balanced meals planned according to season. Most often the dishes are vegan variations of traditional recipes from all parts of India. New students receive a sample kit of organic spices. View the 2011 schedule at: vapikaspirit.com.
By Darshana Thacker
Vaidya. Jayagopal Parla BAMS, Masters in Ayurveda, C-IAYT, CMT, FAIHM
Vaidya Jay is a passionate teacher and practitioner of Ayurveda. He is classically trained in Ayurvedic medicine from India. He has a bachelors degree in Ayurvedic medicine from Bangalore University and a Masters degree in Ayurvedic Herbology from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. He is a certified yoga therapist and has a certificate wholistic massage therapy. Vaidya Jay completed fellowship in integrative medicine from AIHM. He has over 25 years and is the founder/director of Athreya Ayurvedic Integrative Health Center Long Beach. He is the vice president of Athreya herbs. He is faculty and clinician at Southern California University of Health Sciences, Whittier and visiting professor at Japan Ayurveda School, Tokyo.