Long Pepper Rasam – Healing in a Bowl, Straight from the Garden

Last week in Pune, the rain didn’t stop for days. And my daughter caught a cold and cough.

But instead of rushing to the pharmacy, I headed to my kitchen garden. Among the herbs and greens, I picked fresh pippali (long pepper) leaves—a powerful medicinal plant known for its healing properties.

I learnt this recipe from a friend, and when I tried it, it worked like magic. My daughter recovered faster than usual, and now I’m convinced—this is going to be our go-to dish whenever anyone at home comes down with a cold.

That’s the magic of growing your own healing plants—something every village home once did. With a little planning, you can have your own “backyard pharmacy” right in your balcony or backyard.

Long Pepper Rasam Recipe

Ingredients:

• Pippali (long pepper) leaves – 10–15

• Toor dal – 2 tbsp (cooked)

• Red chillies – 2–3

• Black pepper – 1 tbsp

• Jeera – ½ tbsp

• Tamarind – lemon-sized (soaked in warm water)

• Tomatoes – 2 (chopped)

• Turmeric – ¼ tsp

• Hing & Salt – to taste

• Ghee – for sautéing

Method:

1. Cook toor dal in a pressure cooker and set aside.

2. Sauté pippali leaves in ghee for 2–3 minutes.

3. Roast pepper, jeera, and red chillies in a little ghee. Grind them with the sautéed leaves into a coarse paste.

4. In a pot, cook tomatoes with turmeric, hing, salt, and a little water until soft.

5. Add tamarind water, boil for 2–3 minutes.

6. Stir in the ground spice mix, boil for a minute, then add the cooked dal.

7. Simmer until the rasam froths.

8. Temper with jeera in ghee and pour over.(Skip coriander and curry leaves to preserve the unique pippali flavour.)

   
   

Variation: Use dried pippali buds instead of leaves—theymay be available in the market.

Why You Should Grow Pippali at Home

Pippali grows easily in a kitchen garden and needs minimal care. Having it fresh means you can make this rasam whenever you or your family needs a comforting, immune-boosting meal.

Tip from my garden:

When you grow medicinal herbs at home, you’re never far from a natural remedy. And a kitchen garden isn’t just for food—it can be your very own first-aid kit.