Rasam or Saaru is a South Indian soup, traditionally prepared using tamarind juice as a base, with the addition of tomato, and chili pepper, pepper, cumin and
Ingredients for preparing Rasam
- Tamarind 1 lemon sized ball
- Red Gram 1/2 cup
- Peppercorns 2 tsp
- Cumin Seeds 1 tsp
- Garlic 5 cloves (Optional)
- Asafoetida Powder (Kaayam, Hing) – 1/4 tsp
- Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp
- Salt to taste – 1 tsp
- Coriander Leaves, chopped – 1 tbsp
For Seasoning
- Oil or Ghee – 1 tsp
- Mustard Seeds 1/4 tsp
- Dry Red Chillies 2 no
Method:
- Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes. Kneading with your fingertips, extract juice and discard pulp.
- Cook Red Grams in a pressure cooker with enough water until soft and mushy. Mash further with a potato masher to remove any lumps. Keep it aside.
- Crush the Garlic Pods, Peppercorns and Cumin Seeds. Keep it aside.
- In a thick bottomed vessel, mix the mashed Red Grams with Tamarind juice, Asafoetida Powder, Turmeric Powder, Coriander leaves, Salt, 2 cups of Water and the crushed ingredients from step 3.
- Heat the vessel and allow the contents to boil for 2 minutes. Now switch off the stove.
- Heat oil in a small pan and splutter the mustard seeds.
- Now add the curry leaves and dry red chillies into the same pan and fry for a minute. Pour this seasoning over Rasam.
- Garnish Rasam with Coriander Leaves and serve it hot with rice or you can even have it as a soup.