Tomato rasam
A thin, peppery South Indian soup of tomato, tamarind and lentils, tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves. Sipped or poured over rice.
- 50 min10 prep · 40 cook
- EasyDifficulty
- 110 kcalper serving
Ingredients
- Split pigeon peas (toor dal)50 g
- Water1 l
- Tomatoes3
- Tamarind paste1 tbsp
- garlic4 cloves
- Rasam powder2 tsp
- Ground turmeric½ tsp
- Ghee1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds1 tsp
- Cumin seeds1 tsp
- Dried red chillies2
- Curry leaves10
- asafoetida1 pinch
- Chopped coriander2 tbsp
- Saltto taste
Missing something? Ingredients with × can be left out.
Steps
- 1
Rinse the dal and cook it in 400 ml of the water with the turmeric until very soft. Mash it well.
- 2
In another pot, simmer the chopped tomatoes, crushed garlic, tamarind, rasam powder and salt in the rest of the water.
- 3
Stir in the mashed dal and heat until it just starts to froth; don’t let it boil hard.
- 4
Heat the ghee, add the mustard seeds and let them pop, then add the cumin, chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida for a few seconds.
- 5
Pour the sizzling tempering over the rasam, add the coriander and cover for a few minutes before serving.
Tips and questions
- What is rasam powder?
- A South Indian blend of roasted coriander, cumin, black pepper, chilli and dal. Indian shops sell it, or use ground cumin, coriander and black pepper.
- Why shouldn’t rasam boil hard?
- Boiling makes it bitter and kills the aroma. Take it off the heat as soon as a light froth forms on top.
- How is rasam eaten?
- Mixed with plain rice and ghee, or sipped from a cup like a hot broth.
Enjoy your meal!
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