Thin, peppery South Indian broth featuring lemon juice. Drunk as a soup or poured over rice.
Ingredients
- lemon juice
- 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
Prepare dal water: Pressure cook 2 tbsp toor dal for 4 whistles. Mash smooth and dilute with half cup water.
Toast rasam spices: Dry roast 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cumin and 1 sprig curry leaves in a pan 2 minutes. Grind coarsely.
Make base: In a pan add 1.5 cups water, half tsp turmeric and the ground rasam spices.
Add dal water: Add mashed dal water. Mix well and bring to a gentle boil.
Season: Add salt to taste.
Simmer: Cook on low heat 6-8 minutes until the rasam is thin and transparent.
Make tempering: Heat 1 tbsp ghee. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they pop add a pinch of asafoetida, 1 sprig curry leaves and 1 dried red chilli. Fry 30 seconds.
Add tempering: Pour ghee tempering into the rasam.
Add lemon juice: Remove from heat completely. Squeeze 2 lemons into the rasam and stir. Never heat rasam after adding lemon juice — it turns bitter.
Serve: Lemon rasam should be thin, pale golden and refreshingly sour. Garnish with coriander. Serve over rice or as a cooled summer soup.