Jamun/Black Plum Rasam

This is a delicious rasam made with the mighty and tasty jamun fruit aka black plum. The jamun fruits along with freshly ground spices make this rasam the most delicious with perfectly balanced flavors. This is a vegan rasam using oil for tempering.

The mere mention of jamun or naval pazham (in Tamil) brings a lot of memories from childhood. This delicious summer fruit with its sweet and tart flavor is refreshing and is packed with nutrients. The flavor explosion in the tongue is amazing and leaves the tongue purple in color. I love this fruit and long for fresh ones. Here we get the frozen fruit off late (look for them in the freezer section in Indian groceries), and try to utilize it in many recipes for the love of that flavor. We make this Jamun and Coconut Water Cooler is a perfect summer cooler, a refreshing thirst quencher, with the frozen fruit!

Jamun fruits are amazing super fruits. They are loaded with antioxidants and nutrients. The low calorie fruit is good for reducing blood glucose levels and its seed also has the property. With its vibrant color this fruit can be used in many recipes! This small but mighty fruit is loaded in vitamin C, iron, calcium, and phosphorous. So, why not use it in yummy recipes like this rasam? If you have access to fresh fruits, use them after pitting.

Fruit need not be a part of dessert though they can be had as such. Using seasonal fruits in cooking is very prevalent in many cuisines all over the world. Sauces and soups are simple examples. Mango sambhar is one such popular dish in our cuisine. Fruits can also be added to rasams, sweet or tart, they give amazing flavor depth. Cranberry Rasam and Lemon Rasam use the sour/tart fruits to replace the tamarind. Green apple with its sweet and tart taste makes a beautiful cider like rasam, Apple Rasam. This Jamun Rasam is similar to that and is very delicious.

 

This can be served as a soup or with cooked grains with a side of veggies like Asparagus and Coconut Stir-fry, Pudalangai/Snake Gourd Curry, or this Kale-Stir-fry.

I am sharing recipes for rasam from A-Z. The traditional rasam with soothing and comforting flavors can be made with many ingredients and wanted to showcase the rasam recipes. So, as a part of Blogging Marathon, this is my share for the letter 'J', and below are the links to the recipes of rasams in this series shared so far.

A - Apple rasam

B - Basil and Balsamic Vinegar Rasam

C - Cauliflower Rasam

D - Dill Rasam Recipe II

E - Ellu Rasam

F - Fennel Rasam

G- Gooseberry Rasam

H - Herb and Hemp Seeds Rasam

I - Instant Garlic Rasam

I am also linking this to Sundays on Silverado, Happiness is Homemade, and What's For Dinner.

Ingredients

Jamun - 10, frozen or fresh, pitted

Tamarind - 1 tsp

Tomato - 1/2 cup

Turmeric - a pinch

Salt - 3/4 tsp

Water - 2 and half cups

Cilantro - 1 tbsp, for garnish

To dry roast and grind

Red chili - 1or 2

Black pepper - 1/4 tsp

Cumin - 1/2 tsp

Coriander seeds - 1/4 tsp

For tempering

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Cumin - 1/4 tsp

Asafetida - 1/8 tsp

Curry leaf - 1 sprig, torn

Method

Remove the pit from the jamun fruits and discard the pit.

Dry roast the red chile, coriander seeds, cumin, and black pepper until golden. Set aside to cool.

Soak the tamarind in a cup of water, extract the juice and set aside.

Grind the jamun fruits, tomatoes, and the roasted spices to a slightly coarse texture.

Boil the tamarind water with turmeric and salt for 2-3 minutes. Add the ground jamun-spice mixture followed by one and half cup water. When it begins to boil, remove from the flame.

Tempering: Heat the oil in a pan, add the red chile and mustard seeds. When it splutters, add the cumin, fry for 30 seconds. Add the asafetida and curry leaves.

Pour the tempering on the rasam. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

Serve as a soup or with cooked grains and veggies.