Rasam Recipe
Rasam is a tangy, spiced, herby and soupy preparations from the South Indian cuisine. Rasam is a staple in many South Indian households and has a base of various herbs, spices, lentils, veggies/fruits and tamarind. My quick Rasam recipe is made without rasam powder and lentils (dal). This spiced, tangy, and sour rasam is sure to warm your palate and heal your cold if you have any.
Ingredients
- 1 lemon sized tamarind – approx 1 tablespoon tightly packed seedless tamarind (imli)
- ½ cup warm or hot water – for soaking tamarind
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes or 1 medium-sized tomato
- 2 cups water
- 10 to 12 curry leaves
- 2 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ½ tbsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 2 to 3 dry red chilies – broken and deseeded
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
- 2 tbsp Purti refined vegetable oil – gingelly oil (raw sesame oil) or any neutral
- salt as required
Spices to Be Ground - 3 tbsp cumin seeds
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns6 to 7 garlic (medium-sized) – roughly chopped
Instructions
Preparation
- Soak the tamarind in warm water for 20 to 30 mins.
- Squeeze the pulp from the soaked tamarind. Strain and keep aside.
- In a dry grinder or coffee grinder, powder the cumin seeds, whole black pepper and garlic to a semi fine consistency.
Making Rasam
Step 1: Heat Purti refined vegetable oil in a pan. Crackle the mustard seeds first.
Step 2: Add the curry leaves, red chilies & asafoetida and fry for some seconds until the red chilies deepen their color.
Step 3: Fry on a low flame so that the spices don’t burn.
Step 4: Than add the tomatoes and saute until the tomatoes soften.
Step 5: Then add the semi coarsely powdered cumin, black pepper and garlic along with turmeric powder.
Step 6: Stir and then add the tamarind pulp. Add water and stir well. Season with salt.
Step 7: Just let the entire rasam come to a gentle simmer uncovered on low heat.
Step 8: Then switch off the fire and add chopped coriander leaves.
Step 9: Serve rasam hot as a soup or with steamed rice.
