Instant Pot Tomato Rasam – An easy recipe to make quick rasam in the Instant Pot. No rasam powder (a special spice blend for making rasam) and tamarind are required. The recipe is vegan too.
Rasam is a South Indian preparation of a soup-like dish made with herbs, veggies or fruits, tamarind and spices. The end result is sour and spiced or spicy. This recipe has tomatoes, cumin, black pepper, garlic and curry leaves.
By the way, Tomato Rasam is also called as Thakkali Rasam in Tamil Nadu (tomatoes are called thakkali in the Tamil language). I have also shared a stovetop version of a fab Tomato Rasam earlier (my mom’s recipe).
During the winters I make rasam often. Rasam is a favorite with us and so most often I end up cooking it.
About the recipe
- Tomatoes: Rasam tastes best with fresh tomatoes. Use tomatoes which are ripe. For making the rasam, I personally prefer to puree the tomatoes, but if you like chunky pieces of tomatoes, then just chop them and add to the tempering.
- Time: Making this spicy tangy soupy dish in the Instant Pot just takes about 10 to 12 minutes. So good for those busy days.
- Without tamarind & rasam powder: In this recipe, you do not need to add any rasam powder or tamarind. The tanginess and sourness come from the tomatoes. The spices that contribute to the warmth, pungency and flavor in the dish are coarsely ground black pepper, cumin, garlic and red chili powder. If you are interested, you can check this super easy rasam made without rasam powder – Rasam Recipe.
You can serve Instant Pot Tomato Rasam as a warming soup or have it with steamed rice and a side veggie dish.
How to make Instant Pot Tomato Rasam
1. In a grinder jar, take 5 to 6 small to medium garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and ½ teaspoon whole black pepper.
2. Pulse or grind to get a coarse mixture. Remove and keep aside. You can use a mortar-pestle to do the same.
3. In the same jar, add roughly chopped 250 grams tomatoes (2 large or 3 medium tomatoes).
4. Grind or blend to a smooth puree.
5. Switch on the IP. Press the sauté button on normal and set the timer to 5 or 6 minutes.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil (gingelly oil) in a pan or pot. Let the oil become hot (not smoking hot or sizzling hot). Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and stir. You can use sunflower oil in place of gingelly oil.
7. Let the mustard seeds begin to splutter.
8. Once the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add ½ teaspoon urad dal.
9. Stirring often sauté, till the urad dal becomes golden.
10. Press twice to get the low mode on (you don’t want to burn the spices). Then add 8 to 10 curry leaves and 2 dry red chillies.
11. Stir and mix.
12. Now add the coarsely ground mixture of cumin seeds + garlic + whole black pepper and a generous pinch of asafoetida (hing).
13. Mix and stir very well.
14. Next, add the tomato puree, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and ½ teaspoon red chili powder or ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
15. Stir and mix well. If using chopped tomatoes, then sauté them till they soften and become pulpy.
16. Sauté for one to two minutes.
17. Pour 1 cup of water. If there is tomato puree sticking to the sides of the grinder jar, then add 1 cup water and rinse+mix it with the water. Then add this water to the rasam mixture. For a slightly thin consistency add 1.25 cups water. The amount of water to be added will also depend on the juiciness in the tomatoes. So you can add from 1 to 1.5 cups water.
18. Season with salt as per taste. Mix very well.
19. Press the cancel button and then press the pressure cook switch. Set timer for 1 or 2 minutes on high pressure.
20. When you hear the beep sound after the pressure cooking is completed, quick pressure release (QPR) and open the lid.
21. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.
22. Serve Instant Pot Tomato rasam as a side dish or appetizer or serve it with steamed rice.
This recipe is from the archives and has been updated to the Instant Pot version on 23 January 20.
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Instant Pot Tomato Rasam
Ingredients
to be crushed coarsely
- 5 to 6 small to medium garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon whole black pepper
for tomato puree
- 250 grams tomatoes or 2 large or 3 medium tomatoes
other ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (gingelly oil) or sunflower oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon urad dal (split and husked black gram)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder or ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 8 to 10 curry leaves
- 2 dry red chilies
- 1 generous pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- 1 cup water or add as required
- salt as required
- 2 to 3 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
Instructions
preparing coarse spice mix
- In a grinder jar, take 5 to 6 small to medium garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1 ½ teaspoon whole black pepper.
- Pulse or grind to get a coarse mixture. Remove and keep aside.
making tomato puree
- In the same jar, add roughly chopped 250 grams tomatoes (2 large or 3 medium tomatoes).
- Grind or blend to a smooth puree. Keep aside.
making instant pot tomato rasam
- Switch on the ip. Press the sauté button on normal and set the timer to 5 or 6 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil (gingelly oil) in a pan or pot. Let the oil become hot (not smoking hot or sizzling hot). Add mustard seeds and stir. You can use sunflower oil in place of gingelly oil.
- Let the mustard seeds begin to splutter.
- Once the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add urad dal.
- Stirring often sauté, till the urad dal starts to turn golden.
- Press the saute button twice and use the low mode of the saute option. Add 8 to 10 curry leaves, 2 dry red chillies. Stir.
- Now add the coarsely ground mixture of cumin seeds + garlic + whole black pepper and a generous pinch of asafoetida (hing).
- Mix and stir very well.
- Next, add tomato puree,¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chilli powder or ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper.
- Stir and mix well.
- Sauté for one to two minutes.
- Pour 1 cup of water. If the leftover tomato puree sticking to the sides of the grinder jar, then add the 1 cup water and rinse+mix it with the water. Then add this water to the rasam mixture.
- For a slightly thin consistency add 1.25 cups water. The amount of water to be added will also depend on the juiciness in the tomatoes. So you can add from 1 to 1.5 cups water.
- Season with salt. Mix very well.
- Press the cancel button and then press the pressure cook switch for 1 or 2 minutes on high pressure.
- Quick pressure release (qpr) and open the lid.
- Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.
- Serve instant pot tomato rasam as a side dish or appetizer or serve it with steamed rice.
Notes
- Add water as required, but do not dilute too much. For a slightly thin consistency add 1.25 cups water. The amount of water to be added will also depend on the juiciness in the tomatoes. So you can add from 1 to 1.5 cups water.
- You can pressure cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
- If using chopped tomatoes, then sauté them till they soften and become pulpy.
Thank you for your easy recipes. I have a suggestion, I have downloaded android app but I mostly use the desktop version to narrow down on a recipe. I then use mobile app when I need to quickly refer to cooking instructions or simply to source the required ingredients. If you could have a common login on both the platforms, that way, I can easily tag my favorite recipes and access from any device with a simple login.
Welcome Rajeev. Thanks for your suggestion. However it will be too difficult for us to implement this.
I installed the app right now nd tried rasam. it was awesome?
thanks for the feedback pooja. glad to know.