Rasam is a delicious pungent and spicy, South Indian soup that uses tamarind as a base, with the addition of tomato, chili, pepper, cumin and other spices as seasonings. The tangy flavours of tamarind mixed with the pepper and other spices make a taste explosion in your mouth. The Indian equivalent of the Jewish Chicken Soup! Every South Indian family has its own recipe – this is ours – we hope you enjoy it. Rasam can be used as a side dish, alongside the rice, with your favourite curry. Serves 3-4.
Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tbsp rasam masala
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 small tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 red chili, broken
- 10 curry leaves
- ¼ tsp mustard seeds
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp urad dahl
- a pinch of asafoetida
- 500ml hot vegetable stock
- chopped coriander leaves for garnish
Method
- Dissolve the tamarind paste in the hot stock.
- Place tomatoes in a bowl, and mash the tomatoes into a coarse pulp.
- Place the tamarind stock, crushed garlic, and tomatoes in a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 1 minute.
- While it is cooking, heat oil in another saucepan and add the chili, curry leaves, mustard seeds, urad dahl and asafoetida. Stir till fragrant and the mustard seeds pop.
- Now add in the rasam masala. Stir fry for a further 15 seconds.
- Add tamarind tomato water, salt, and finally the hot water.
- Bring it back to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- If you want a clear rasam, you can strain it at this point, but straining is optional.
- Garnish with the coriander leaves and serve with steamed rice or in cups, as soup.
