Recipe - Rasam

Sweet and sour tomato soup

Summary:

Rasam is a typical south Indian side dish. Every household, in southern India prepares rasam with variations. The taste of rasam depends on the rasam powder used/prepared. For example, small amounts of dal is added or is made lot more spicier with less jaggery/sugar added. Rasam's taste differs in every region. People from Tamilnadu prepare rasam powder with lot of dry roasted red chilli in it. People from Andhra prepare rasam powder with more coriander seeds and whole black pepper and less dry red chillies. The recipe given is the Andhra rasam. You can call it typical telugu brahmin recipe.

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes - 3 large (roma)

• Tamarind - small lemon size ( 1 teaspoon paste)
• Salt - 1 and 1/2 teaspoons
• Sugar - 1 and 1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric - 1/4 teaspoon
• Cilantro - 3 table spoons
• Rasam powder - 3 teaspoons (according to spice level)
• Water - 7 cups

Seasoning:

• Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 2 stalks
• Ghee/butter- 2 teaspoons

Method:

Boil chopped tomatoes, tamarind, salt, turmeric with 1 cup of water for 10 minutes on medium high temperature.

Mash/grind with a blender all the boiled ingredients, add 6 cups of water, sugar, rasam powder and chopped cilantro. Set the prepared soup aside.

For seasoning, preheat ghee at medium high temperature, add mustard and cumin seeds, let them splutter. Add curry leaves and asafoetida. After a minute add the seasoning to the prepared tomato and cilantro mixture soup. Let it boil for 5 - 10 minutes. Turn off the heat. Serve hot with rice or can be served as a soup in cold winter months.


Preparation time: 15 - 20 minutes
# Servings: 4