Milagu Rasam, How to Make Pepper Rasam Recipe

Milagu Rasam or  Pepper Rasam Recipe made in Tamil Style is a spicy rasam variation made with black peppercorns, tamarind, and spices. Of all the rasam varieties that I make, this is the most frequently made rasam variety apart from the tomato rasam.

When you run out of ideas for making any gravy and have absolutely no time or mood to make anything elaborate, you can turn to this pepper rasam recipe or the milagu rasam.

Story of rasam and it’s flavor

Rasam is an such an integral part of Tamil meals. You will find as many different variations of Rasam as there are homes in Tamil Nadu. Every family makes it’s own variation. There will always be one or the other ingredient different, and every rasam will give out it’s own unique taste.

When I used to visit my friends’ home in Chennai, every home would serve uniquely tasty rasam. It always used to amaze me that the same recipe would taste so different in every home.

And I would ask my friends’ mom the recipe, they would each give out a different variation. Some would say, add the milagu (black pepper), some would say add the sivappu milagai (red chili) and some would say pachai milagai (green chili)

Over the years, I have just got to mix and match the recipes, and every time, my rasam tastes different. And this milagu rasam recipe is just another of the variations but the most frequently done.

What goes into making pepper rasam

Milagu is nothing but black pepper in Tamil. And as the name suggests a lot of black pepper is added to it along with cumin seeds, garlic, curry leaves, and tamarind among other spices.

One of the most popular rasam varieties from tamil nadu is this milagu rasam or the pepper rasam. It is so simple and easy to make that when you draw a blank what to cook, you can just make this tasty dish.

Milagu rasam is good for cold and flu as well

If you are suffering from cold, this milagu rasam or the pepper rasam recipe will taste extra delicious. I crave this rasam when I suffer from cold. This is the only thing which I feel edible at that time. When the tongue gets tasteless, the slight hotness from the black pepper or the milagu does wonder. (forum xanax online)

All the spices have lot of health benefits to it and helps to fend off your cold and flu.

How Milagu Rasam is different from the Mirayalu Charu

I have Andhra Style Mirayalu Charu on the blog, but this is the Tamil version of it. Though strikingly similar, they are slightly different. We add the dal water in the Mirayalu Charu whereas in the Milagu Rasam, we do not add it. At least, in my home, we dont.

Now this becomes the problem when you get mixed in between two cuisines. The Tamil and Andhra cuisine are so predominant in our home, that sometimes, I get confused to differentiate between the two.

Identity crisis of the kitchen, perhaps? Lol!! I guess yes!!

Nonetheless, this milagu rasam is something really very easy and really very tasty. If you look at the instruction of this recipe, you will realize why it is a favorite for me. Apart from grinding the spices with onion, everything else is just a breeze to make. It will get ready in no time.

Milagu rasam is

• easy and quick to make.
• very tasty.
• good for health and tastes especially good during cold or flu.
• prepared with ingredients right in your kitchen.
• full of flavor and aroma that you will never get bored of it

Things to remember while making this rasam

1. Always remember to use freshly ground spices and do not use readymade powders. It just won’t taste the same.
2. Do not boil the rasam. Turn off the heat when it becomes frothy.
3. Always simmer and never cook any rasam on high heat.
4. You can even grind curry leaves and coriander leaves along with spices.

Serving suggestions:

You can serve the milagu rasam with plain hot rice along with potato podimas, chicken chukka or even cauliflower poriyal. Serve this milagu rasam just as a soup as well.

Try garlic rasam as well.

Step by step pictorial of the milagu rasam or the pepper rasam recipe

1. Add all the spices in the “to grind” list in a mixie jar and grind coarsely. Set aside this paste while you prepare to make the rasam.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start spluttering add the curry leaves and garlic.

3. Add the ground paste and fry for a minute till a nice aroma emanates from it.

4. Throw in the turmeric powder and salt.

5. Add in the tamarind water.

6. Next, add in the coriander leaves and simmer until it turns frothy. Serve hot with plain rice or just as it is.

Let’s get started with the Milagu Rasam recipe or the pepper rasam recipe

Milagu Rasam, Pepper Rasam Recipe, Tamil Style

Fareeha

The Milagu Rasam or the pepper rasam recipe is a tasty and tangy tamarind soup laced with black pepper and relished with hot steamed rice. This is one of the most easiest rasam varieties which gets done in no time and is quite popular in Tamil Nadu, a South Indian state.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Course Gravy

Cuisine South Indian

Servings 4 people

Calories 63 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 onion chopped (small sized onion is enough, we don’t need too much onion for this dish)
• 3 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds / saunf / sombu
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste or extract of a lemon sized ball of soaked tamarind
• 2 tsp oil
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• 4 cloves of garlic crushed
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 4 cups of water
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped

Instructions

 

• Grind the onion, black pepper cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, fennel seeds to a coarse paste. You can even dry grind the spices in a coffee grinder first and then mix them with onion and grind in a mixie if you feel that your spices won’t grind well in the blender.
• Heat oil in a pan. Add the mustard seeds till they splutter.
• When the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add the garlic, curry leaves. Fry for a minute and add the ground onion paste.
• Fry till the raw smell from the onion has disappeared and add in the turmeric powder, salt, tamarind paste, 4 cups of water and coriander leaves.
• Cook on low flame till foamy. Do not boil and switch off when it gives out a foam.

Video

Notes

• Never boil the rasam on high heat. 
• Always simmer on low heat only til turns frothy.
• You can add less salt to reduce sodium content in it. 

 

Following are only estimates and not actuals:

Keyword milagu rasam

Signing off until next time,

Fareeha.

This recipe was originally published in May 2016.  Step by step photos and video have been added. The recipe has been made printable in October 2018. No changes have been made to the recipe though.

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