Lemon rasam recipe with step by step photos – spicy and tangy South Indian rasam made with lemon and coriander. A vegan recipe.
I have been making rasam quite often these days due to the temperature change and monsoons. This recipe of lemon rasam is really good for cold and coughs. it’s warming, comforting and nourishing if you have a really bad cold.
I rarely have cold, but when I do, I always have rasam and the spicy pani of pani puri. Makes me feel better. For cough and cold, Pepper rasam, Beetroot rasam and Pepper cumin rasam are also very good. Since I making rasam so often, I will be sharing more rasam varieties.
Here in this recipe, tamarind is not added. The rasam is made with some cooked tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils), coarsely ground coriander-spices and lemon juice. Tempering is also done in the recipe. What you get is a tangy, spicy, aromatic rasam with the citrusy coriander flavor and the earthy warm flavor from the spices.
You can have rasam plain like a soup or also with some steamed rice. I always pair rasam with steamed rice, accompanied with a dry vegetable dish like a poriyal or stir fry.
How to make lemon rasam
1. rinse ¼ cup tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils with water and then add them in a pressure cooker along with a pinch of turmeric powder. add ¾ to 1 cup water and pressure cook for 8 to 9 whistles or till the dal has softened and cooked really well. About 10 to 12 minutes on a medium to high flame.
2. When the pressure settles down on its own, check the dal and mash with a spoon or wired whisk. Keep the dal aside.
3. in a small grinder or chutney grinder, take ⅓ cup chopped coriander leaves, 2 tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp black pepper, 1 or 2 green chilies (chopped), ½ inch ginger (roughly chopped) and 4 to 5 garlic cloves (roughly chopped).
4. Without adding water grind to a coarse paste. Keep aside.
5 squeeze the juice from the lemon and keep aside. I used 1 medium-sized lemon. You can also use limes.
Making lemon rasam
6. In a pan or pot, heat 1 tbsp sesame oil or any oil and add ½ tsp mustard seeds. Saute till the mustard seeds start crackling.
7. Then add 12 to 15 curry leaves and 1 to 2 dry red chilies. Saute till the red chilies change their color and darken a bit. Don’t burn them.
8. Now add the ground coarse paste along with a pinch of asafoetida/hing and ¼ tsp turmeric powder. Stir very well.
9. Add the cooked dal.
10. Add 1 to 1.5 cups water. Stir well.
11. Season with salt.
12. On a low to medium flame simmer the rasam for 5 to 6 minutes.
13. Switch off the flame. Wait for 1 minute and then add 2.5 to 3 tbsp lemon juice. You can add more or less as required and as per your taste. Instead of lemon, you can also add lime juice. Stir very well.
14. Garnish with some coriander leaves & Serve coriander lemon rasam with steamed rice and a capsicum fry or poriyal or vegetable roast.
Few more tasty recipes for you!
Lemon Rasam
Ingredients
for cooking lentils
- ¼ cup pigeon pea lentils (tuvar dal or arhar dal)
- 1 pinch turmeric powder
- ¾ to 1 cup water for pressure cooking
to be ground coarsely
- ⅓ cup chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 or 2 green chilies, chopped
- ½ inch ginger, roughly chopped
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
tempering and making lemon rasam
- 1 tablespoon cold processed sesame oil or any oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 12 to 15 curry leaves
- 1 to 2 dry red chilies
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 to 1.5 cups water, add water as required
- 2.5 to 3 tablespoon lemon juice, add lemon juice as per taste
- salt as required
- some coriander leaves for garnishing
Instructions
cooking dal
- Rinse and then add 1/4 cup tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils in a pressure cooker along with a pinch of turmeric powder.
- Add 3/4 to 1 cup water and pressure cook for 8 to 9 whistles or till the dal has softened and cooked really well.
- When the pressure settles down on its own, check the dal and mash with a spoon or wired whisk. Keep the dal aside.
making lemon rasam
- In a small grinder or chutney grinder, take 1/3 cup chopped coriander, 2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 or 2 green chilies (chopped), 1/2 inch ginger (roughly chopped) and 4 to 5 garlic cloves (roughly chopped).
- Without adding water grind to a coarse paste. Keep aside.
- In a pan or pot, heat 1 tbsp sesame oil or any oil and add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds. Saute till the mustard seeds start crackling.
- Then add 12 to 15 curry leaves and 1 to 2 dry red chilies. Saute till the red chilies change their color and darken a bit. Don't burn them.
- Now add the ground coarse paste along with a pinch of asafoetida/hing and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Stir very well.
- Add the cooked dal and add 1 to 1.5 cups water. Stir well.
- Season with salt and again stir.
- On a low to medium flame simmer the rasam for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Switch off the flame. Wait for 1 minute and then add 2.5 to 3 tbsp lemon juice.
- You can add more or less as required and as per your taste. Instead of lemon you can also add lime juice. stir very well.
- Garnish with some coriander leaves & serve lemon rasam with steamed rice.
tried this today tasted great. thank you for sharing 🙂
welcome sara and thanks for the review on lemon rasam.
Super hit at our home!!! Thank you
Welcome Megha
Hi
Simply SUPER,
thanks jaya.
Thank you so much : I cooked it today and I’m sure I’m going to adopt it as one of my favourite rasam ! Gorgeous ! ☺️
Welcome Vincent. Glad to know this.
Thank u for the wonderful rasam it came out wel
thanks vidya for the feedback on the recipe.
I tried the above and it came well.
thanks smitha for the feedback.
Hi ,,,Dassana, very nice recipe its
thankyou hasina 🙂
Hi Dasana
Loved the recipe.. Tried them and came out amazingly well.
thankyou aarthi glad you liked the rasam 🙂
Hi Dasana…Thanks for this amazing Recipe…! Tried it just now!! n i have to tell it sooooppppeeeerrrrr tasty!!! m in luv wid it…thanks again 🙂
thankyou monica 🙂 we are glad to know this.
I remember my mom’s elder sister making such a rasam. But she doesnt grind the coriander leaves. Instead put it as a bunch so that the flavors steep through into the dal water. Yummmy it was. Happy to be reminded of her rasam .. Thanks Dassana.
welcome sangeetha. thanks for sharing your mom’s elder sister’s recipe variation.
Just love all your recipies.
thanks a lot dr preeti.
Very very Delicious
thanks priyanka.
yummmmy……………………..
I’m a rasam-fan and loved this one. Thanx again
thanks and welcome vimala.
Lemon rasam used to be a favorite when mom used to make it at home. I decided to make this today with arbi fry (used the recipe from your site for that as well). Came out wonderfully well (a little different from mom’s version owing to the coriander and garlic). Will definitely make it again. Thanks for the recipe!
thanks for the feedback sneha and welcome. coriander does give its own taste to the rasam. i also plan to add the simple lemon rasam minus the coriander.
very tasty and simple
Like ur interesting recipes luv them
Superb receipe. I was searching for some twist in soups. Will surely try
thanks pooja
Also let me know if moong daal can also b added to this along with tuvar daal??
urjita, you can add moong dal.
Hello m goin to try this rasam tonight..along with it I want to have rice bt not plain .kindly suggest some rice recipe with this rasam.
urjita, usually plain steamed rice goes well with rasam. you can add some ghee on top of the rice while serving.
Thanks for all your awesome recipes. I am sure going to make this rasam and garlic cheese bread. Punjabi bhendi also. We are non veg, enjoy eating veg recipes. Clear clicks and thanks step by step pictures.
welcome celine. nice to know this.
My favorite rasam. so comfort food. Nice pot
thanks sreedevi. favorite at our home too 🙂
dassana…i read your blog as daily ritual…always waiting for new recipes to come…your cooking not only suggest yummy food but also healthy alternative. Now i do use organic sugar as often used in your recipes. In this recipe you are using earthen pot…i wonder can it be used on stovetop…please throw light on this..
Do write a post on healthy alternatives….many of us will be benefitted.
Thanks for efforts putting in writing recipes in most elaborative way.
thanks rutba. yes this is the kerala chatti which can be used on a stove top. in kerala as well in goa we get clay pots which can be used on stove tops. the food cooked in these pots taste different. i plan to add such a post. i still have to get some eco friendly cooking pots and pans. this and one manipur clay pot are the only cooking pots i have. when i have an enough range of them, then i will add a post 🙂
Ha, yes this would be very good for colds. Usually my sick food is masoor lentil noodle soup, but this I will try next time.. (but I hope I don’t get sick :P)
thanks ani. stay healthy and fit 🙂
I made eggless cake with flax seed the taste was so delicious and super healthy. Ma’am apka bahut bahut sukriya and all credit goes to u because of you we ppl who dont eat eggs are able to take pleasure of cakes. Love ur blog and hats off to ur hard work.
thanks a lot riya for this sweet and encouraging feedback. glad to read your comment.