RESPLENDENT RASAM

Sambar and Rasam, like Vashishtar and Vishwamithrar, are kulagurus of Tamil brahminical lunches and dinners. Both have army of admirers and at times one is substituted for the other. In marriage lunches and dinners they go together, and in our homes, for the day-to-day lunches and dinners, we either prepare sambar or rasam but less frequently both. 

For Sambar in Palakkad, they use ground and grated coconut,  whereas in Tamil Nadu, sambar powder is preferred. Availability of coconut and pulses determine this and one is not superior to the other. However, for marriage lunches, arachuvitta sambar ( sambar with ground and grated coconut) alone is prescribed. Powdered sambar is looked down upon, as if it plays for the B team. Rasam doesn’t entertain such distinction. Rasam powder is universally used and coconut in rasam is unheard of.    

Sambar has to face stiff competition from Morkhuzhambhu,  Vettakhuzhambhu and pitla though often, it either overshadows or is overshadowed by the other two. Rasam fears no such alien threats, save the competition within the specie Rasam itself.  

Like Manchester United and Real Madrid Football Clubs followers, the rasam consumers are categorized into two fiercely opposing groups – those who take their rasam with the sediments (kalakkivitta rasam), and those would prefer the sediments to remain in the container ( thelivu rasam). Concerns for the preferences of others demand that those who opt for the thelivu rasam should have the right of use first, as they would not disturb others. Sediment-rasam protagonists should realize that the right of first use to them means the purists are deprived of their right of choice. 

Lime Rasam dispenses with tamarind and is healthy.  However, pepper rasam, jeerah rasam and kandanthippili rasam all have therapeutic value and hence are prepared as medicinal prescriptions. They are not opted for their pandering to our taste, but are consumed under compulsion to come out of certain ailments. My mother would often hurl a threat, when we children misbehave, that the following day, she would prepare pepper rasam (milagu rasam) only. Pepper rasam is invariably prescribed for those whose temperature level is above 100 degree F.  Mysore rasam has all modern ingredients and it appeals to our palate. Senior members of the family frown upon it for fear that it might promote libido. If pure rasam is like a Chemmangudi concert playing with the subtleties of swaraprasthara,  Mysore Rasam is like Dire Strait’s “Sulthans of Swing “ -  stirring the youngsters’ soul. For a few enthusiasts, garlic rasam is the greatest. Though garlic promotes good health, it has many sworn enemies too.  

As comma doesn’t end your sentence but indicates only a pause, sambar doesn’t end your meals. Invariably it has to be followed by rasam or dahi bath. Rasam is independent and can stand apart, alone. There is no compulsion that rasam has to be followed by dahi or any other bath.

Vadai soaked with sambar, is known as vada sambar, prominence being given to vadai.  Vadai soaked in rasam is known as rasa vadai, rasam stealing the show. This indicates, rasam  scores over sambar, wherever necessary.

As barbeque is connected with a grill and rotis and nans are linked to the tandooris, sambar boiled in a kalchatti assumes a significant flavour and taste and Rasam boiled in Kumbakonam made eeyachombhu lords over our lunch plates/leaves.

In certain homes, those who are below six and above seventy are served only rasam rice because rasam is easily digestible, tamarind being a strong ingredient notwithstanding. Perhaps, asafoetida (perunkayam) acts as an antidote to tamarind. 

One can start and end with rasam rice.  There is no taboo or stigma attached.  But, sambar cannot stand alone.  If one seeks sambar rice only, eyes would pierce him to pieces and his sanity may also be questioned. Similarly, when one is not hungry, a cup full of rasam would be offered as a solace. A cup of sambar to sip is blasphemy in a brahminical home.

My daughter can prepare both milagu rasam and mysore rasam with equal ease, a mother would say proudly. My daughter in law is just experimenting with her rasams, a mamiyar would say indifferently, leaving it to our guess whether she is paying compliment or picking holes in the preparation.  The statement that "my grandfather still enjoys his rasam' confirms that his faculties are in tact and that he continues to be in good health.    
   

The vegetables that go well with sambar – porial or paruppu usili are acceptable to rasam too with equal eagerness.  Whatmore, rasam has an extra affinity to appalam and papadam. In marriage lunches, an extra appalam is offered when rasam is being served. The appalam has the added advantage of covering up the shortfall of the rasam too. Sambar without vegetable pieces looks barren. Rasam is basically barren, but the addition of pieces of tomato and handful dhania (kothamalli) lends rasam dignity and extra flavour.

Rasam is a Monarch of all it surveys.  No wonder, when we take rasam rice, the quantity of rasam dominates.  In sambar rice, the high quantity of sambar is frowned upon. 

In addition to its own intrinsic merits, Rasam is also enjoyed for one more reason. In the marriage lunches, rasam is immediately followed up by payasam. If rasam comes, can payasam be far behind, many of us seem to parody Poet Shelley’s words.  

Milagu rasam, in western garbs becomes mulaguthanni soup in star hotels. In fact, rasam is precursor to varities of modern soups. No wonder, rasam is considered as resplendent and one of the greatest contributions of the Tamils to the culinary world. The software techies from South India thrive on varieties of rasams in their pursuit of excellence in their chosen fields. 

A cup of rasam, a piece of papadam (roasted in microlwave oven), a hand-held instrument to browse, one is in paradise now, Khalil Gibran would have repeated today.