Tomato Rasam is a traditional South Indian soup-like dish made with tangy tomatoes, tamarind, freshly ground spices, and tempered with ghee. It’s light, comforting, and pairs beautifully with hot steamed rice or can be enjoyed as a warm drink. Known for its digestive properties, rasam is a staple in South Indian meals.
Ingredients
Main
- Ripe tomatoes – 3 (medium, chopped)
- Tamarind – small lemon-sized ball (soaked in warm water & extracted)
- Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
- Salt – to taste
- Water – 3 to 4 cups
- Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp (chopped)
Rasam Spice Powder (fresh ground or store-bought)
- Coriander seeds – 1 tbsp
- Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- Black pepper – 1 tsp
- Dry red chilies – 2
- Toor dal (split pigeon peas) – 1 tsp (optional, gives body)
(Roast lightly and powder OR use 1½ tsp rasam powder if ready-made.)
Tempering
- Oil – 1 tbsp
- Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
- Cumin seeds – ½ tsp
- Garlic – 3 cloves (crushed)
- Curry leaves – 1 sprig
- Hing – a pinch
- Dry red chili – 1
Preparation Process
- Cook Tomatoes – In a pot, boil chopped tomatoes with turmeric, salt, and 2 cups of water until soft. Mash slightly.
- Add Tamarind Extract – Stir in tamarind water and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Mix Rasam Powder – Add freshly ground rasam spice powder (or rasam powder) and 1–2 more cups of water. Adjust salt.
- Simmer – Allow rasam to foam gently (do not boil vigorously).
- Tempering – Heat ghee in a small pan, add mustard, cumin, garlic, dry chili, curry leaves, and hing. Fry until aromatic and pour over rasam.
- Finish – Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot with steamed rice or sip as a soup.
Health Benefits
- Aids Digestion – Tamarind and black pepper stimulate digestive enzymes.
- Rich in Vitamin C – Tomatoes boost immunity.
- Light & Comforting – Good for cold, cough, or fever recovery.
- Anti-inflammatory – Garlic, pepper, and cumin reduce bloating and inflammation.
Tips
- Never over-boil rasam; simmer only until frothy.
- Adding a little jaggery balances sourness.
- For extra flavor, add a few crushed peppercorns at the end.
- Can skip tamarind if tomatoes are very tangy.
Variations
- Garlic Rasam – Increase garlic and slightly crush it for stronger flavor.
- Pepper Rasam – Add more black pepper for cold/cough relief.
- Dal Rasam – Add little cooked toor dal water for body and nutrition.
- Lemon Rasam – Replace tamarind with lemon juice (add at the end, off flame).