Thin, peppery South Indian broth featuring horse gram. Drunk as a soup or poured over rice.
Ingredients
- horse gram
- Small tamarind ball
- 2 tomatoes
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1.5 tsp rasam powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp ghee
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander
Method
Cook horsegram: Wash 3 tbsp kollu (horsegram). Pressure cook with 1 cup water for 5 whistles. Strain — save the cooking liquid — this dark earthy liquid is the base of kollu rasam.
Grind cooked horsegram: Take half the cooked horsegram and grind with a little water to a smooth paste. Mix back into the strained liquid.
Add spices: To the horsegram liquid add half tsp turmeric, 1 tsp rasam powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, half tsp black pepper powder and salt.
Prepare tamarind water: Soak a tiny piece of tamarind in half cup warm water. Extract and strain.
Combine: Add tamarind water and 1 cup more water to the horsegram liquid.
Bring to a boil: Cook on medium heat until boiling, stirring well.
Simmer: Cook on low heat 8-10 minutes. The rasam should be dark brown and earthy.
Make tempering: Heat 1 tbsp ghee. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves.
Add tempering: Pour into the rasam.
Serve: Garnish with coriander. Horsegram rasam is intensely nutritious and earthy. Serve over rice or sip as a weight-management soup.