How to make it
6 steps. Take it one step at a time.
Soak the tamarind
Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze the pulp to extract the juice, strain, and discard the fiber.
10 minCoarsely crush the garlic cloves, black peppercorns, and cumin seeds
Coarsely crush the garlic cloves, black peppercorns, and cumin seeds using a mortar and pestle to form a fragrant spice paste.
Combine the tamarind extract, mashed tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt
In a pot, combine the tamarind extract, mashed tomatoes, turmeric powder, salt, and the crushed spice paste. Add the remaining 2 cups of water.
Place the pot on medium heat
Place the pot on medium heat and cook until the mixture starts to froth up and just begins to boil. Turn off the heat immediately.
5 minHeat ghee or oil
Heat ghee or oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add dried red chilies, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Saute for 30 seconds.
1 minPour the tempering
Pour the tempering over the rasam. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and cover with a lid for a few minutes before serving to trap the flavors.
A little kitchen wisdom
Do not boil rasam for too long; once it starts to froth up, turn off the heat to preserve the delicate aroma. For best results, use fresh tamarind and hand-crushed spices.
