Rasam has rasam powder or rasam paste made of pepper, coriander, cumin, lentil, asafoetida and red chillies.
Pepper.. This good for curing cold, cough
Cumin.. Aids in digestion after a heavy, fatty meal
Coriander.. Helps in digestion, cures diabetes and corrects menstrual disorders
Garlic.. Reduces cholesterol, removes bloated feeling and gas
Asafoetida.. Helps in digestion, removes gas
Red dry chillies.. Reduce obesity.
Tamarind.. Cures constipation. It has anti inflammatory properties.
Lentils give proteins in spite of rasam being a very simple dish.
Tomatoes.. Give vitamin C.
Coriander leaves increase appetite in children
Curry leaves.. Helps to darken hair and stop graying.
Rasam is good for a tired person as it is easily digested and has lots of water. It is a simple food which can be had as a soup also.
Mulligatawny soup is born from rasam. Mulliga.. Milagu means pepper, tawny is thanni which means water, so milagu thanni of Tamizh language became Mulligatawny soup of the British. It is had before the main course in lunch or dinners. –Bhuvana Rameshwar