About Rasam Recipe
Rasam is a staple South Indian soup-like dish made with tamarind, spices, herbs, and veggies or fruits. Yes, you heard me right – rasam is made with some fruits too. Probably the word “rasam” is derived from the word “ras” or “rasa” which means juice or extract or essence. My rasam recipe is a basic simple South Indian rasam that can be had as a drink or served with rice. You do not need any Rasam Powder to make it nor you have to spend time cooking lentils. This rasam recipe happens to be a family favorite and I make it similar to my Tomato Rasam recipe. The main difference between a tomato rasam and a classic rasam is the amount of tomatoes. Obviously, in a tomato rasam, more tomatoes are added. But in a basic rasam, just one tomato is enough or you can skip it completely. The sour taste in a classic South Indian rasam recipe comes mainly from using tamarind and not tomatoes. Though rasam is good to soothe a cold or cough you can still make it in any season. I make it pretty often, especially in the winters. The spices and herbs that I add to my rasam recipe are cumin, mustard seeds, black pepper, garlic, curry leaves, coriander leaves, and tamarind that help in relieving the cold and also act as digestives. It is best to have it in chilly winters or when you are suffering from cough and cold. Rasam can be had like a soup or as an appetizer drink. It can also be served with steamed rice along with a side vegetable dish and with sambar. You can also have idli or vada with rasam.
How to make Rasam Recipe
I have explained the making of the recipe in three parts. The first part includes making the tamarind water, the second part shows grinding the spices, and the third part details the method of making rasam.
Make Tamarind Water
- Soak 1 lemon sized tamarind (approx 1 tablespoon tightly packed seedless tamarind) in ½ cup warm water for 20 to 30 mins.
- Later squeeze the soaked tamarind to a pulp. Strain and keep aside. In the below photo, the tamarind pulp is not strained.
Grind Spices
- In a dry grinder or coffee grinder, ground 3 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 teaspoon whole black pepper, and 6 to 7 roughly chopped garlic (medium-sized) to a semi-fine consistency.
Make Rasam
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter, add two pinches of asafoetida, 2 to 3 dry red chilies, and 10 to 12 curry leaves. Be careful not to burn the spices.
- Add ½ cup chopped tomatoes. Sauté until the tomatoes soften.
- Then add the semi-coarsely ground cumin seeds, black pepper and garlic, and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder.
- Mix well and add the strained tamarind pulp along with water and salt.
- Let it come to a gentle simmer on a low heat. Do not boil, but let it slowly come to a point of gentle boil and then switch off the heat.
- Turn off the heat and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves.
- Stir and serve rasam hot with steamed rice or as a soup.
Serving Suggestions
The consistency of rasam is thin like a runny soup or stock. So you can drink it like soup. In South Indian meals, it is served with steamed rice, sambar, and a side vegetable dish. You can also serve it with just plain steamed rice. I usually make it with rice and pair it with a side vegetable dish. Sometimes I also make vada rasam or Idli rasam. Vada (fried urad lentil fritters) are amazingly good with this tangy and spiced rasam. Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Milagu Rasam | Pepper Rasam Mysore Rasam Recipe Lemon Rasam Paruppu Rasam This Rasam recipe post from the archives first published in February 2014 has been republished and updated on November 2022.
title: “Rasam Recipe Without Rasam Powder Lentils " ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-12” author: “Theo Almeida”
About Rasam Recipe
Rasam is a staple South Indian soup-like dish made with tamarind, spices, herbs, and veggies or fruits. Yes, you heard me right – rasam is made with some fruits too. Probably the word “rasam” is derived from the word “ras” or “rasa” which means juice or extract or essence. My rasam recipe is a basic simple South Indian rasam that can be had as a drink or served with rice. You do not need any Rasam Powder to make it nor you have to spend time cooking lentils. This rasam recipe happens to be a family favorite and I make it similar to my Tomato Rasam recipe. The main difference between a tomato rasam and a classic rasam is the amount of tomatoes. Obviously, in a tomato rasam, more tomatoes are added. But in a basic rasam, just one tomato is enough or you can skip it completely. The sour taste in a classic South Indian rasam recipe comes mainly from using tamarind and not tomatoes. Though rasam is good to soothe a cold or cough you can still make it in any season. I make it pretty often, especially in the winters. The spices and herbs that I add to my rasam recipe are cumin, mustard seeds, black pepper, garlic, curry leaves, coriander leaves, and tamarind that help in relieving the cold and also act as digestives. It is best to have it in chilly winters or when you are suffering from cough and cold. Rasam can be had like a soup or as an appetizer drink. It can also be served with steamed rice along with a side vegetable dish and with sambar. You can also have idli or vada with rasam.
How to make Rasam Recipe
I have explained the making of the recipe in three parts. The first part includes making the tamarind water, the second part shows grinding the spices, and the third part details the method of making rasam.
Make Tamarind Water
- Soak 1 lemon sized tamarind (approx 1 tablespoon tightly packed seedless tamarind) in ½ cup warm water for 20 to 30 mins.
- Later squeeze the soaked tamarind to a pulp. Strain and keep aside. In the below photo, the tamarind pulp is not strained.
Grind Spices
- In a dry grinder or coffee grinder, ground 3 teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 teaspoon whole black pepper, and 6 to 7 roughly chopped garlic (medium-sized) to a semi-fine consistency.
Make Rasam
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter, add two pinches of asafoetida, 2 to 3 dry red chilies, and 10 to 12 curry leaves. Be careful not to burn the spices.
- Add ½ cup chopped tomatoes. Sauté until the tomatoes soften.
- Then add the semi-coarsely ground cumin seeds, black pepper and garlic, and ½ teaspoon turmeric powder.
- Mix well and add the strained tamarind pulp along with water and salt.
- Let it come to a gentle simmer on a low heat. Do not boil, but let it slowly come to a point of gentle boil and then switch off the heat.
- Turn off the heat and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves.
- Stir and serve rasam hot with steamed rice or as a soup.
Serving Suggestions
The consistency of rasam is thin like a runny soup or stock. So you can drink it like soup. In South Indian meals, it is served with steamed rice, sambar, and a side vegetable dish. You can also serve it with just plain steamed rice. I usually make it with rice and pair it with a side vegetable dish. Sometimes I also make vada rasam or Idli rasam. Vada (fried urad lentil fritters) are amazingly good with this tangy and spiced rasam. Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter. Milagu Rasam | Pepper Rasam Mysore Rasam Recipe Lemon Rasam Paruppu Rasam This Rasam recipe post from the archives first published in February 2014 has been republished and updated on November 2022.
