Paruppu Rasam

Paruppu rasam recipe with step by step photos – paruppu rasam or dal rasam is another rasam variant that is flavorful, spicy and a favorite at home after Tomato rasam. Serve this comforting rasam with any South Indian meal or with steamed rice or you can drink it like a soup.

This dal rasam was made by mom when all of us would have cold attacks in the winters or monsoons.

It is a spicy one, though I usually make it less spicy. Also this dal rasam warms the body and is excellent when has bouts of cold, chill and cough. A few more rasam varieties which are good for cough and cold are:

1. Lemon rasam
2. Milagu rasam (pepper rasam)
3. Beetroot rasam

In this paruppu rasam, cooked tuvar dal (arhar dal or pigeon pea lentils) is simmered in a freshly roasted and ground spices with tamarind pulp. So the cooked dal gives some body and texture to this soup and the spices lend their aroma, warmth and flavor. There is also a tang or sourness coming from the tamarind.

The spices are roasted and then ground to a semi coarse or fine powder. Later to be tempered with mustard, curry leaves and dry red chilies along with the freshly ground rasam powder. This tempered mixture is then added to the cooked dal and simmered with tamarind pulp and some water.

You don’t need rasam powder to make this dal rasam. It is best served with some steamed rice. You can drink it plain like a soup also. At home I always serve rasam with steamed rice and a side of vegetable stir fry or poriyal or thoran.

How to make Paruppu rasam

1. To make the rasam powder, in a frying pan take the following ingredients:

• 2 to 3 dry red chilies
• 8 to 10 fenugreek seeds
• ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 2 teaspoon coriander seeds

2. On a low heat, dry roast the spices stirring often till they are fragrant and golden. Ensure that the spices don’t get burnt. Once roasted well then remove the spices in a plate and let them cool at room temperature.

3. Once the spices are cooled, then remove the stems from the dry red chillies. Add all the spices to a dry grinder or coffee grinder or spice grinder. Grind these spices to a semi coarse or fine powder. Keep aside.

4. Soak 1 tablespoon seedless tamarind in ½ cup of hot water for 20 minutes. Later squeeze the tamarind pulp and keep it aside.

5. In a 2 litre stovetop pressure cooker, cook ½ to ⅓ cup arhar dal (pigeon pea lentils) with 1.5 cups water for 7 to 9 minutes or till they are completely soft and mashable. You can also cook the lentils in an Instant pot adding water as needed.

Note that if you have time then soak the lentils for 20 to 30 minutes prior to cooking them. Soaking lentils make them cook faster. Also remember to use fresh lentils in their shelf life.

6. With a spoon or wired whisk, mash the dal lightly and set aside the mashed lentils.

Making Paruppu rasam

7. In another pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds and ½ teaspoon split and skinned black gram (urad dal).

8. Fry on low heat stirring often till the mustard seeds start crackling and the urad dal becomes golden.

9. Keeping the heat to a low add 10 to 12 curry leaves and 1 to 2 dry red chilies (broken and seeds removed).

10. Fry for a few seconds stirring often until the curry leaves looks crisp and red chilies change color. Take care not to burn the spices.

11. Now add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing). At this point you can switch off the heat if the pan has become too hot.

12. Stir and add the roasted ground rasam powder.

13. Stir quickly and add the above-tempered mixture to the dal or add the dal to this mixture.

14. Add the tamarind pulp and stir well.

15. Also add 1 to 2 cups water or add as required.

16. Next add salt as required.

17. Simmer dal rasam for 7 to 8 minutes or till you see a frothy layer on top on a low or medium heat. The raw aroma of the tamarind also has to go away.

18. Garnish with 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves.

19. Serve Paruppu rasam hot, plain or with some steamed rice or any South Indian meal of your choice. Refrigerate any leftover for a day only. Best to have this dal rasam on the same day as the taste changes after refrigeration.

More rasam varieties

• Tamarind rasam
• Garlic rasam
• Tomato soup
• Rasam recipe – made without rasam powder.
  

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This paruppu rasam post from the blog archives first published in June 2013 has been republished and updated on 19 January 2022.