Sundakkai Sathuamuthu (Turkey Berry Rasam)

Solarium torvum (Turkey Berry), is a bushy, erect and spiny perennial plant used horticultural as a root stock for eggplant. People used chunadakka (the fruit of chunda or sunda) as a vegetable that goes into Sāmbhar and individual curries. People also used to preserve this wild-looking fruit by first soaking in curd as an Ayurveda herb, it has sedative, diuretic and digestive properties. It used in the treatment for coughs. It is a tonic for liver.

 Traditional way of cooking Sundakkai though, would be more elaborate as in Sundakkai VathalKozhambu, which makes for a beautiful classic dish in itself.

 In Iyengar cuisine, Sundakkai Vathal is an important part of the Dwadashi Thaligai  (the menu for this day is specifically geared towards leveling the acidity and getting the digestive juices flowing –simple menu).

This Sathuamuthu is easy to make and its very tasty also. 

Ingredients:

Tamarind                           – 1 small lemon size

Salt                                    – to taste

Asafetida                            – ¼ tsp.

Curry leaves                          – a few

Tomato                               – 1 no

Ginger grated                      – 1 tbsp.

Turmeric powder                    – ¼ tsp.

FOR THE POWDER:

Coarsely grind the following into a powder. No roasting is required.

Pepper                                 – 1 tbsp.

Cumin seeds                            – ½ tsp..

Coriander seeds                      – 1 tbsp.

Tovar dhal                               – 1 tbsp.

Red chilies                                 – 2no

FOR THE SEASONING:

Ghee                                               – 1 tsp

Mustard seeds                           – ¼ tsp

Black Pepper                              – ¼ tsp

Jeera                                       – 1/8 tsp

Rasam Powder                           - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves

Red Chilies                                    –2 no

Sundakkai vatral                              2 tbsp.

Chopped coriander leaves               – 1tsp

METHOD:

• Soak tamarind in warm water and extract the juice.
• Add salt, Asafetida, tomato pieces, turmeric powder, and ginger and curry leaves.
• Boil until the raw smell disappears.
• Grind the five ingredients into a slightly coarse powder.
• Add the powder and add water immediately to make one liter of rasam.
• Boil for few more minutes in low flame.
• Cover it with a lid to preserve flavor.
• Switch off flame when the rasam is just about to boil.
• Heat ghee and fry the seasoning and add to the rasam.
• Garnish with Coriander leaves.