Rasam, also known as saaru and chaaru, is a South Indian soup that is thin and flavourful. It consists of tomatoes, tamarind, and various spices, such as pepper, cumin, and mustard. The term “Rasam” translates to “juice” in Tamil. While it can refer to any juice in general, the name usually concerns the South Indian thin soup. Due to the incorporation of various herbs in the recipe, Rasam is said to possess many health benefits. Some examples include relieving the cold and improving digestive systems.
This soup is best served during chilly and rainy days, with side dishes like stir-fried vegetables and a bowl of rice. There are a lot of variations to this dish. In this recipe, we will be preparing one of the most traditional Rasam dishes, which is the tomato Rasam.
Tips for Making Rasam
Tamarind can be challenging to find in certain areas. Hence, if you don’t have tamarind at home, you can substitute the ingredient with lemon juice.
Containing more vitamins and minerals, jaggery is more nutritious than sugar. However, it is still sugar with high calories. Hence, feel free to reduce the amount of jaggery used in this dish based on your preferences.
If you have rasam powder at home, you can ignore the powder ingredients in the ingredient list and directions. Use the rasam powder as desired when the tomatoes are fully cooked.
Rasam Recipe
Rasam is a thin soup that originates from South Indian. It contains various herbs, tamarind, and tomatoes. This dish is easy to prepare, and best served with a bowl of rice during chilly and rainy days.
Difficulty: Easy
Details
3
5 minutes
15 minutes
151 kcal
Print
Ingredients
- MAIN INGREDIENTS
2-3 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
1/8 teaspoon of turmeric
Salt, as needed
3 cups of water
1 teaspoon of tamarind
2 tablespoons of jaggery
¼ cup of coriander leaves, chopped
- SEASONING INGREDIENTS
1 ½ tablespoon of oil
½ teaspoon of mustard
1 red chilli, dried and chopped
1 sprig of curry leaves
Hing or asafoetida, as needed
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- POWDER INGREDIENTS
¼ teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
½ teaspoon of peppercorn
1 ½ teaspoon of cumin
1 red chilli, dried
Directions
- In a pot, heat oil over medium heat. Then, add in the seasoning ingredients
- Sauté the ingredients well for around a minute.
- When the curry leaves turn crispy, add tomatoes into the mixture. Stir-fry the tomatoes until they become soft and mushy.
- Next, put in all the powder ingredients and stir well for another 3 minutes.
- When the fragrance of the spices emerges, pour water into the pot.
- Add in tamarind, jaggery, and salt. Adjust the amounts of these ingredients until you achieve the desired taste.
- Turn up the heat and bring the soup to a boil. Then, lower the temperature and let the soup simmer for another 5 minutes.
- When the soup thickens, turn off the heat and sprinkle some coriander leaves on the soup.
- Serve while the soup is hot.
| Note: Individuals who enjoy spice can add more red chillies or bird’s eye chillies to the recipe. |
Ways to Enjoy Rasam
Serve rasam hot. You can enjoy it as a soup or pair it with a bowl of rice. If you intend to prepare a balanced meal, serve rasam with stir-fried vegetables.
There are many variations to rasam dishes. Feel free to alter the ingredients in this recipe and explore many other flavours of rasam.
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