Rasam

Rasam vegetarian recipe

Got 35 minutes? Whip up a batch of this comforting rasam. It's a tangy, spicy Indian lentil soup, perfect with rice or on its own.

Ingredients

  • 0.5 cup Toor dal
  • 1 large tomato
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 small lemon-sized ball tamarind
  • 2 green chilies
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1.5 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 0.75 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1.5 teaspoons salt
  • 0.25 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves
  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 0.5 teaspoon asafoetida powder
  • 1 sprig curry leaves

Instructions

  1. Wash 0.5 cup Toor dal thoroughly. Add the washed dal, 1 large chopped tomato, and 2 cups water to a pressure cooker. Close the lid and cook for 3 whistles (approximately 10-12 minutes on Instant Pot, set to high pressure with natural release). Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker and gently mash the dal and tomato mixture.
  2. Soak 1 small lemon-sized ball tamarind in 0.5 cup warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze the tamarind pulp to extract the juice and discard the fibrous residue. Set aside the tamarind extract.
  3. In a small grinder or mortar and pestle, coarsely crush 2 green chilies, 4 cloves garlic, 1.5 teaspoons black peppercorns, and 2 teaspoons cumin seeds. This is your rasam spice mix.
  4. Add the mashed dal and tomato mixture to a large pot or cooking vessel. Stir in the tamarind extract, the prepared rasam spice mix, 0.75 teaspoon turmeric powder, and 1.5 teaspoons salt. Add the remaining 1.5 cups water and mix everything well.
  5. Bring the rasam mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 8-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld. Do not overcook
  6. While the rasam simmers, prepare the tempering. Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Once the ghee is hot, add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
  7. Add 0.5 teaspoon asafoetida powder and 1 sprig curry leaves to the tempering pan. Sauté for a few seconds until the curry leaves become crisp.
  8. Pour the hot tempering mixture directly into the simmering rasam. Stir gently. Turn off the heat.
  9. Garnish the rasam with 0.25 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves before serving.

View the interactive Rasam recipe