Can't imagine a rasam with cantaloupe seeds. I had exactly the same reaction when I saw this recipe on a food group that I follow. I tried it out of curiosity, both my husband I were pleasantly surprised. It was delicious. Then my creative mind started working. The second time I made it I made several changes to the process and also added mixed lentil fritters to it. To say it took the cantaloupe seeds rasam to another level would be just appropriate.
Try and use sour yogurt. I have used lemon juice but you can use 1 tbsp tamarind paste instead. The quantity of lemon juice or tamarind paste will depend on how sour is the yogurt and how sour you like your rasam .
Use seeds and whatever little pulp you find in the cavity of the cantaloupe. we are not using the main fruit.
You can also add, vegetables like white pumpkin, Mangalore cucumber, drum sticks, instead of fritters.
Musk melon seeds can be used instead of cantaloupe seeds.
Ingredients Cantaloupe seeds and pulp 3/4 cup Grated coconut 1/3 cup tightly packed Thick Yogurt 1/3 cup Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp Whole red chili 2 Green Chilli 2 slit lengthwise Water 3 1/4 cup Salt to taste Lemon juice 2 tsp
Chopped coriander 1 tbsp Tempering
Ghee/ clarified butter 1 tsp Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Whole red chilli 1 Asaefotida a pinch Curry leaves 1 sprig
Mixed Lentil Fritters
Chana dal 1/4 cup
Tur dal 1/4 cup
Urad dal 2 tbsp
Onion 1/4 cup finely chopped
Coconut 1 tbsp finely chopped
Coriander 1 tbsp finely chopped
Whole red chilli 2
Asaefotida a pinch
Salt to taste
Method
Fritters
Wash all the dals in running water. Soak them with whole red chilli for 4-6 hours.
Grind to a course paste using as little water as possible.
Beat this mixture to make it light.
Mix rest of the ingredients.
Heat oil in a kadahi or pan. Take small portions of the paste, flatten slightly with wet hands.
Fry them on low to medium heat until golden brown.
Remove them on a kitchen towel to drain off excess oil.
Cantaloupe seeds rasam
Grind cantaloupe seeds and 2 whole red chilli with little water.
Pass it through a strainer. Press hard to squeeze out as much pulp as possible. Throw the residue.
In the same jar now grind coconut with some water.
Using the same strainer sieve the yogurt.
Mix together cantaloupe seeds paste, coconut paste, and yogurt.
Take a deep pan add the mixture of cantaloupe seeds and remaining water. Bring it to a boil.
Add salt and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
While its boiling add two green chillies slit lengthwise upto mid length.
Once it has simmered for 5 minutes, add the dal fritters and let it simmer for five minutes.
Now mix in the lemon juice.
Tempering
Heat ghee/clarified butter in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Once they crackle , add rest of the ingredients in the order mentioned. Pour it over the rasam. Taste and adjust lemon juice and salt. Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve immediately with white rice.
Note : if you are going to serve it later add additional 1/4 cup water because the dal fritters will absorb the gravy.