Sambar and Rasam, like Vashishtar and Vishwamithrar, are kulagurus of Tamil

brahminical lunches and dinners. Both have army of admirers and at times one
is substituted for the other. In marriage lunches and dinners they go together,
and in our homes, for the day-to-day lunches and dinners, we either prepare
sambar or rasam but less frequently both.
For Sambar in Palakkad, they use ground and grated
coconut, whereas in Tamil Nadu, sambar powder is preferred. Availability of
coconut and pulses determine this and one is not superior to the other.
However, for marriage lunches, arachuvitta sambar ( sambar with ground and
grated coconut) alone is prescribed. Powdered sambar is looked down upon,
as if it plays for the B team. Rasam doesnt entertain such distinction. Rasam
powder is universally used and coconut in rasam is unheard of.
Sambar has to face stiff competition from Morkhuzhambhu, Vettakhuzhambhu
and pitla though often, it either overshadows or is overshadowed by the other
two. Rasam fears no such alien threats, save the competition within the specie
Rasam itself.
Like Manchester United and Real Madrid Football Clubs followers, the rasam
consumers are categorized into two fiercely opposing groups those who
take their rasam with the sediments (kalakkivitta rasam), and those would
prefer the sediments to remain in the container ( thelivu rasam). Concerns for
the preferences of others demand that those who opt for the thelivu rasam
should have the right of use first, as they would not disturb others. Sedimentrasam protagonists should realize that the right of first use to them means the
purists are deprived of their right of choice.
Lime Rasam dispenses with tamarind and is healthy. However, pepper rasam,
jeerah rasam and kandanthippili rasam all have therapeutic value and hence
are prepared as medicinal prescriptions. They are not opted for their
pandering to our taste, but are consumed under compulsion to come out of
certain ailments. My mother would often hurl a threat, when we children
misbehave, that the following day, she would prepare pepper rasam (milagu
rasam) only. Pepper rasam is invariably prescribed for those whose
temperature level is above 100 degree F. Mysore rasam has all modern
ingredients and it appeals to our palate. Senior members of the family frown
upon it for fear that it might promote libido. If pure rasam is like a
Chemmangudi concert playing with the subtleties of swaraprasthara, Mysore
Rasam is like Dire Straits Sulthans of Swing - stirring the youngsters soul.
For a few enthusiasts, garlic rasam is the greatest. Though garlic promotes
good health, it has many sworn enemies too.
As comma doesnt end your sentence but indicates only a pause, sambar
doesnt end your meals. Invariably it has to be followed by rasam or dahi bath.
Rasam is independent and can stand apart, alone. There is no compulsion that
rasam has to be followed by dahi or any other bath.

Vadai soaked with sambar, is known as vada sambar, prominence being given
to vadai. Vadai soaked in rasam is known as rasa vadai, rasam stealing the
show. This indicates, rasam scores over sambar, wherever necessary.
As barbeque is connected with a grill and rotis and nans are linked to the
tandooris, sambar boiled in a kalchatti assumes a significant flavour and taste
and Rasam boiled in Kumbakonam made eeyachombhu lords over our lunch
plates/leaves.
In certain homes, those who are below six and above seventy are served only
rasam rice because rasam is easily digestible, tamarind being a strong
ingredient notwithstanding. Perhaps, asafoetida (perunkayam) acts as an
antidote to tamarind.
One can start and end with rasam rice. There is no taboo or stigma attached.
But, sambar cannot stand alone. If one seeks sambar rice only, eyes would
pierce him to pieces and his sanity may also be questioned. Similarly, when
one is not hungry, a cup full of rasam would be offered as a solace. A cup of
sambar to sip is blasphemy in a brahminical home.
My daughter can prepare both milagu rasam and mysore rasam with equal
ease, a mother would say proudly. My daughter in law is just experimenting
with her rasams, a mamiyar would say indifferently, leaving it to our guess
whether she is paying compliment or picking holes in the preparation. The
statement that "my grandfather still enjoys his rasam' confirms that his
faculties are in tact and that he continues to be in good health.
The vegetables that go well with sambar porial or paruppu usili are
acceptable to rasam too with equal eagerness. Whatmore, rasam has an extra
affinity to appalam and papadam. In marriage lunches, an extra appalam is
offered when rasam is being served. The appalam has the added advantage of
covering up the shortfall of the rasam too. Sambar without vegetable pieces
looks barren. Rasam is basically barren, but the addition of pieces of tomato
and handful dhania (kothamalli) lends rasam dignity and extra flavour.
Rasam is a Monarch of all it surveys. No wonder, when we take rasam rice, the
quantity of rasam dominates. In sambar rice, the high quantity of sambar is
frowned upon.
In addition to its own intrinsic merits, Rasam is also enjoyed for one more
reason. In the marriage lunches, rasam is immediately followed up by
payasam. If rasam comes, can payasam be far behind, many of us seem to
parody Poet Shelleys words.
Milagu rasam, in western garbs becomes mulaguthanni soup in star hotels. In
fact, rasam is precursor to varities of modern soups. No wonder, rasam is
considered as resplendent and one of the greatest contributions of the Tamils
to the culinary world. The software techies from South India thrive on varieties
of rasams in their pursuit of excellence in their chosen fields.

A cup of rasam, a piece of papadam (roasted in microlwave oven), a hand-held

instrument to browse, one is in paradise now, Khalil Gibran would have
repeated today.
(This writer's predilection is for powdered sambar and rasam with the
sediments).