<h1>How To Make Rasam</h1>

Rasam recipe

• Prep time: 10 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Serves: 5

Main Ingredients:

1. tamarind

Ingredients

• Water - 2 1/2 cups
• Tamarind - Indian gooseberry size, soak in 1/2 cup warm water for 10 mts, extract juice
• Tomato - 1, small, crushed (optional)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Jaggery - 1 tsp
• Curry leaves - 6
• Coriander leaves with stalks - finely chopped (1/4 cup)
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp, freshly hand pounded in a mortar pestle
• Garlic cloves - 2-3, crushed (optional)
• Black pepper corns - 1/2 tsp, freshly crushed
• Salt to taste
• For tempering:
• Oil or ghee - 1 1/2 tsps
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Dry red chilli - 1, tear and de-seed
• Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Method

1. In a vessel, add water, tamarind extract, turmeric powder, asafoetida (1/4 tsp), crushed tomato, jaggery, half of the chopped coriander leaves with stalks, salt and curry leaves. Bring to a boil and cook on high flame for 2 mts and medium high flame for 7 mts.
2. Add crushed cumin seeds and black pepper corns and bring to a boil for a little less than a minute.
3. While the rasam is simmering, heat ghee or oil in a small vessel for tempering. Once it turns hot, add mustard seeds and allow to crackle. Immediately add cumin seeds, red chili, curry leaves and asafoetida and turn off flame.
4. Add this tempering to the boiling rasam and turn off flame. Add remaining fresh coriander leaves, place lid and allow the flavors to meld for at least 30 mts to an hour.
5. Serve warm with hot rice and papad.

Tips

• Taste the tamarind water for sourness. Adjust water accordingly. If its too sour, add more water.
• At Step 2, you can add spices of your choice.
• You can add 2 crushed garlic cloves also along with cumin and black pepper corns. Garlic gives a wonderful flavor to the rasam.
• You can add a heaped tbsp of cooked tur dal.
• If tomato is not on hand, you can omit it.
• Vegans can omit ghee and use oil. The tempering is good with oil too.