Tomato Rasam - South Indian Style

Step 1: Prepare Tomato Base

Add 3 roughly chopped big tomatoes to a blender jar and grind to a fine paste. Pour the puree into a pot, add 2.5 cups of water, 3-4 green chillies, 1/4 tsp turmeric, and 1 tsp salt. Mix, cover, and cook on high flame until it starts boiling.

Step 2: Simmer the Base

Once the mixture is boiling, reduce the flame to low, cover, and cook for 9-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3: Prepare Rasam Powder

While the base simmers, heat 1 tsp of coconut oil in a pan. Add tur dal, chana dal, and urad dal, and saute well until golden. Add dry chillies, black pepper, cumin, and fresh coconut. Roast everything well until aromatic. Let it cool completely, then grind to a fine powder.

Step 4: Combine and Cook

Add the ground rasam powder to the simmering tomato base. Also add 1-2 tbsp jaggery, 1/4 cup tamarind extract, 2 cups of water, and another 1 tsp of salt. Mix well and bring to a boil on high flame. Then, reduce the flame to low and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring in between.

Step 5: Prepare Tempering (Tadka)

Add a handful of chopped coriander leaves to the rasam. For the tempering, heat 2 tsp of coconut oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, crushed garlic, and curry leaves. Saute until fragrant, add asafoetida, and saute on low flame for a few more seconds.

Step 6: Finalize and Serve

Pour the hot tempering over the rasam and mix well. The Tomato Rasam is ready to be served hot with steamed rice.

• Stir the rasam occasionally while simmering to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.

• Ensure the roasted spices for the powder are completely cool before grinding to get a fine texture.

• Ghee can be used instead of coconut oil for a richer flavor in the tempering.