South Indian Soup
Rasam
Ratings & commentsA thin, peppery tomato and tamarind broth with garlic and coriander. Light, warming and ready in 35 minutes - vegan and gluten-free.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- Medium hot
About this Rasam
Rasam is South India's answer to chicken soup: a clear, sour-hot broth of tomato, tamarind, pepper and garlic that wakes up the appetite. Drink it from a cup when you have a cold, or pour it over rice. It is one of the cheapest, quickest dishes you can make.
Ingredients
- 400 gTomatoes, chopped
- 50 gTamarind, soaked in warm water
- 20 gGarlic, lightly crushed
- 5 gBlack Pepper, freshly crushed
- 50 gToor Dal, cooked until soft
- 20 gFresh Coriander, chopped
- 5 gMustard Seeds
- 5 gCurry Leaves
- 3 gTurmeric
- 20 mlVegetable Oil
- 10 gSalt
Plus water and a little salt to taste.
How to prepare Rasam
Cook the toor dal in 400 ml of water until completely soft (about 25 minutes), then mash well. Alternatively use leftover dal.
Soak the tamarind in 300 ml of hot water for 10 minutes, squeeze and strain.
Combine the tamarind water, tomatoes, turmeric and salt in a pan with 500 ml of water. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until the tomatoes collapse, mashing them with a spoon.
Stir in the mashed dal, crushed pepper and half the garlic. Simmer gently for 5 minutes - do not let it boil hard or the flavour turns bitter.
Heat the oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds, and when they pop add the remaining garlic and the curry leaves for 30 seconds.
Pour the tempering into the rasam, stir in the fresh coriander and serve hot, as a soup or over rice.
Tips
- Crushed pepper and garlic are the heart of rasam - do not skimp.
- Rasam improves overnight; reheat gently without boiling.
Ratings & comments
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