Aperol Rasam: A Confluence Of The Italian Aperitif With A Southern Indian Soup
A variety of food cultures and culinary delights abound in the Indian subcontinent making culinary adventures in this region one of the most enriching experiences for a gastronome.
From the northern parts where curries and parathas are prepared frequently to the southern provinces where rice preparations, lentil curries and meats cooked in curry leaves are a staple, the sheer diversity of foods in this subcontinent spell luxury and abundance.
And each province within the subcontinent has its own way of preparing dishes out of rice, dal and vegetables which exude a touch of the region from where they emerge.
Lentils are cooked in different ways across the subcontinent and rasam, prepared particularly in the southern provinces, is a delightfully warm and comforting offering at mealtimes. Generally, rasam and rice are served together making for a full meal that is satiating and thoroughly wholesome. Rasam is prepared by adding cooked lentils to a tempering of chopped onions, tomatoes and a mix of spices like turmeric, chilli powder, cumin, mustard and more.
In modern mixology, rasam has garnered attention as a savoury mixer that can be added to warm cocktails in the making of drinks which exude spicy and sweet notes.
Aperol, for its part, is a popular Italian aperitif made with rhubarb and is savoured as a pre-meal tipple so it prepares your stomach for a sumptuous dinner that will follow. Aperol is often mixed with sparkling water, prosecco or other sparkling mixers to turn it into a spritzer that is as refreshing as it is delicious.
And contemporary mixologists have been dabbling with different recipes to prepare aperol cocktails which are a rather eccentric blend of ingredients but produce the desired appealing effect on the taste buds.
Making Aperol Rasam
Rasam has a very comforting connotation attached to it, however it does pack quite a spicy kick and is often drunk by the bowlfuls to savour this lip smacking taste. Most often, contemporary mixologists add rasam to cocktails to make savoury drinks akin to the bloody mary that are a fine balance of a bitter and intense spirit with spicy and heat packed flavours. Rasam in boozy concoctions is a sought after treat particularly when you want to celebrate southern Indian flavours in your spirited recipes.
And when you want to create an aperitif that carries the wholesome notes of the rasam enjoyed as a pre-meal tipple, one liquor which stands out as a delicious cocktail base is the aperol. The citrusy taste of aperol combined with its yellowish orange hue blends splendidly with the red and yellow rasam to craft a deeply coloured cocktail. This hue which is an intense red gives the drink a visually inviting touch that accentuates its overall appeal.
To prepare this savoury cocktail, pour a generous proportion of aperol into a warm rasam and serve it in a bowl that is garnished with fresh coriander. The sheer aromas such a drink will exude are as refreshing as the drink itself, which combines the wholesome attributes of rasam with the boozy appeal of aperol.
You can prepare aperol rasam the next time you are hosting a dinner party featuring bold southern Indian flavours including biryanis, pottu stew and avaiyal as well as the more popular dishes like dosas and uttappams. The rasam will work well as a pre-meal tipple while the aperol will add that much needed buzz into your cocktail. Aperol rasam can also be served as the first course at a formal dinner to be enjoyed as a savoury dish that would get your taste buds salivating ahead of the main course.
Aperol rasam presents itself as a mouth watering confluence of delicious southern Indian soup with a boozy Italian spirit, bringing together two traditional drinks in a surprising mix of excellent taste. The drinks are a fusion of a couple of classic traditions, each of which has endured through decades of culinary upheavals. Together, they make for a stunning pairing that would be the highlight of any Indian cuisine themed dinner gathering you would host.
