A warm filling soup made with lentils, tomatoes and spices.

Rasam is a must-have in South Indian cuisine, during festivities and in many instances — an everyday dish. The combination of cooked lentils, tomatoes and the spices make it a healthy, comforting soup that boasts of digestive properties due to the coriander, pepper, jeera, garlic and asafoetida added to it.

Ingredients: (Serves 4)

1. 2 tsp coriander seeds
2. ½ tsp cumin seeds/jeer
3. 2 tsp Thuvar dal/Split Pigeon Pea
4. ½ tsp black pepper
5. 2 dried kashmiri red chillies
6. ¼ cup coconut, fresh/ desiccated (optional)

Other ingredients

1. 2 medium sized tomatoes finely chopped (or cooked)
2. 1 cup tamarind juice
3. few curry leaves
4. ¼ tsp turmeric powder
5. salt to taste
6. ½ tsp jaggery
7. 1 cup cooked thuvar dal
8. 2 cups water

Tempering

1. 1 tsp oil or ghee
2. ¾ tsp mustard seeds
3. a pinch asafoetida
4. 2 dried red chillies
5. few curry leaves
6. 2 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped

Preparation Steps:

In a large vessel, add tomatoes, tamarind juice, curry leaves, turmeric powder, salt and jaggery. Cover and boil tamarind water till the raw smell disappears.

Add cooked dal and water. Boil for a minute till the dal turns frothy. Now add 2 to 3 tsp of rasam powder and continue to boil for 2 minutes.

Meanwhile in a small kadai heat oil, add mustard seeds, asafoetida, dried red chillies and curry leaves. Allow the tempering to splutter and pour over the rasam.

Finally, serve rasam garnished with chopped coriander leaves.