rasam recipe with step by step photos – just plain rasam happens to be a family favorite. i just don’t make rasam when we have cold but on regular days too, especially in the winters.
rasam can be made in two ways – with rasam powder and without rasam powder. i make this rasam recipe when i do not have rasam powder at home. this rasam recipe is adapted from the popular tomato rasam recipe on the blog. the recipe is made without lentils too.
this rasam is sour, spicy and is warming to the palette. its best to have rasam in chilly winters or when you are suffering from cough and cold. the spices and herbs that go into the rasam like cumin, black pepper, garlic and tamarind help in relieving the cold and also act as a digestives.
rasam can be had plain like a soup as an appetizer. it can also be served with steamed rice along with a side vegetable dish or even along with vegetable sambar.
if you are looking for more rasam varieties then do check:
rasam recipe
INGREDIENTS FOR rasam recipe
main ingredients for rasam recipe
- 1 lemon sized tamarind - approx 1 tablespoon tightly packed seedless tamarind (imli)
- ½ cup warm or hot water, for soaking tamarind
- 1 medium tomato, chopped
- 2 cups water
- 10 to 12 curry leaves (kadi patta)
- 2 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds (rai)
- 2 to 3 dry red chilies, broken and deseeded (sookhi lal mirch)
- 2 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
- 2 tablespoon oil
- salt as required
to be powdered to a semi coarse consistency
- 3 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 2 teaspoon whole black pepper (sabut kali mirch)
- 6 to 7 garlic, roughly chopped (lahsun)
HOW TO MAKE rasam recipe
preparation for rasam recipe
- soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup warm water for 20 to 30 mins.
- squeeze the pulp from the soaked tamarind. strain and keep aside.
- in a dry grinder or coffee grinder, powder the cumin seeds, whole black pepper and garlic to a semi fine consistency.
making rasam recipe
- heat oil in a pan. crackle the mustard seeds first.
- add the curry leaves, red chilies & asafoetida and fry for some seconds till the red chilies deepen their color.
- temper on a low flame so that the spices don't burn.
- than add the tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes soften.
- then add the semi coarsely powdered cumin, black pepper and garlic along with turmeric powder.
- stir and then add the tamarind pulp. add water and stir well. season with salt.
- just let the whole rasam come to a gentle boil uncovered.
- then switch off the fire and add chopped coriander leaves.
- serve rasam hot, plain or with steamed rice.
preparation to make rasam recipe
1. soak 1 lemon sized tamarind (approx 1 tbsp tightly packed seedless tamarind) in ½ cup warm water for 20-30 mins.
2. later squeeze the soaked tamarind to a pulp. strain and keep aside. in the below pic, the tamarind pulp is not strained.
3. in a dry grinder or coffee grinder, ground 3 tsp cumin seeds, 2 tsp whole black pepper and 6-7 roughly chopped garlic to a semi fine consistency.
making rasam recipe
4. heat 2 tbsp oil and temper with 1 tsp mustard, two pinch of asafoetida, 2-3 dry red chilies and 10-12 curry leaves.
5. add 1 medium sized chopped tomato. saute till the tomatoes soften.
6. then add the semi coarsely ground cumin seeds, black pepper and garlic and ½ tsp turmeric powder.
7. stir and add the strained tamarind pulp along with water and salt.
8. let the rasam come to a gentle boil.
9. switch off the flame and add 2 tsp chopped coriander leaves.
10. stir and serve the rasam hot with steamed rice or as an appetizer.
No extra exaggeration of the steps…very simple nd addaptible.thanks a ton..lots of luv
thank you soumya. hugs and welcome. thanks for the rating too.
Your website has become a go-to place for me, I have tried various recipes and I love how simple they are and they taste great! Keep up the good work! My food habits have become healthier because of your website!
that is nice to know. food is medicine and can correct many ailments. glad to read your comment. thanks and happy cooking.
It is tasty I always make rasam like this way instead of plain water can add vegs stock ex-drumstick leaves stock ,etc ,it will be more healthy. Thank you.
thanks samita for sharing the variation. yes that can be done.
Hi dassana!
I have tried many recipes of u and many has turned well. I have learnt a lot from ur blog. Thank you so much
I want to request from u to upload a recipe to make barfi from milk powder coz in my country we rarely can find khoya and its very expensive.
It would be a great help 😊
Thank you 😊
thanks and welcome fazma. i have noted down your recipe request and will try to add the recipe.
It was really awesome. Thank you for the receipe..
Hi.
First time I made Rasam following your recipe and it turned out great. Tasted exactly like what my mom and granny used to make.
Thanks
thanks for this lovely feedback on rasam recipe. glad to read it. welcome and happy cooking.
You can add cumin seeds while tadka (mustard seeds, cumin seeds and heeng and kadi patta).
thanks for the tip anuradha.
Thank u for this easy method.before I was adding coriander powder and little of red chilly powder .and tried this one today and tastes good and simple to drink hot ….
Welcome Dhanya. Glad to know that you liked this rasam recipe.
Hello there,
If we are using tamarind puree, how much do you put in. Thanks for this recipe. It looks great and i cant wait to try it.
Welcome Deavi. You can add 2 to 3 teaspoon. Add more if you want more sour taste. I never use tamarind puree. I soak tamarind in water and then squeeze it to get the pulp.
Absolute classic, easy to make and this is my first attempt…i am impressed .Effortless and delicious.
Thanks Diana for your positive feedback.
I am pregnant and wanted to have rasam since a long time. But due to nausea and weakness i didn’t bother to make it also didn’t have any rasam powder on my hands. Tried it for the first time.. and my my.. its so comforting. Will be making it more often. Thank you 🙂 ♡
thanks hira for sharing this. wish you all the best and take care.