tamarind rasam recipe with step by step photos. a tamarind rasam post for the monsoons. its raining and raining here. so all that i make these days are some hearty soups, comforting dals, spicy starters, steaming pakoras and tangy rasams.
rasam is a south indian variation of soup. usually thin in consistency its either had plain or can be had with rice. very good for coughs, colds and fever. there are many types of rasam that are made like:
this tamarind rasam is sour and spicy. a variation of my mom’s tamarind rasam recipe. the sourness comes from the tamarind and the spiciness & heat comes from the spices that are used in making rasam – mainly black pepper, cumin, garlic and red chilies. you don’t need to have ready rasam powder to make this recipe.
rasam should not be overcooked so that the flavors from the spices don’t get lost. generally, rasam is served with rice and sambar combination. you can also serve it plain with rice and a side vegetable dish. it can also be had as a soup.
adding tomatoes to the rasam is optional and you can skip that. since i do like the flavor of tomatoes i have added it. also while grinding, if you want you can add some coriander stems with leaves. i have skipped adding them and added coriander leaves later as a garnish.
you can either temper the rasam before or after. in this recipe i have tempered before and then simmered the rasam.
tamarind rasam
INGREDIENTS FOR tamarind rasam
main ingredients for tamarind rasam
- 1 lemon sized tamarind soaked in 1 cup water for 30-40 minutes (imli)
- 1 medium sized tomato (tamatar)
- 3 to 3.5 cups water
- ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
- 2 tablespoon oil
- salt as required
ingredients for the rasam powder
- ½ teaspoon whole black pepper (sabut kali mirch)
- 1 or 1.5 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves (lahsun)
- 3 to 4 dry red chilies (sookhi lal mirch)
- ¼ cup of coriander leaves with the stems (OPTIONAL)
for tempering tamarind rasam
- ¾ teaspoon black mustard seeds (rai)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera) - OPTIONAL
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida powder (hing)
- 10 to 12 curry leaves (kadi patta)
HOW TO MAKE tamarind rasam
preparation for tamarind rasam
- soak the tamarind in 1 cup water for 30-40 minutes.
- squeeze the pulp from the soaked tamarind with your hands in the water. keep aside.
- crush the tomatoes with your hands and add this to the tamarind pulp.
- you can also chop the tomatoes, if you prefer.
- make a semi coarse mixture in a dry grinder or in a mortar-pestle with the ingredients mentioned under rasam powder.
making tamarind rasam
- heat oil in a pan. first fry the mustard seeds till they pop.
- add cumin and fry till they are browned.
- add curry leaves and asafoetida. fry for some seconds. you can also add garlic in the tempering and then no need to make a semi coarse mixture of it with the rest of the ingredients.
- add the tamarind pulp - crushed tomatoes mixture.
- add the ground semi coarse rasam powder.
- stir and then add about 3 cups water. season with salt.
- bring to one boil and then simmer puli rasam for 5-6 minutes.
- lastly add chopped coriander leaves and give a stir.
- serve tamarind rasam hot.
preparation to make tamarind rasam
1. soak 1 lemon sized tamarind in 1 cup water.
2. let tamarind soak in water for 30-40 minutes.
3. squeeze the pulp from the soaked tamarind with your hands in the water. keep aside.
4. crush 1 medium sized tomato with your hands.
5. add the crushed tomatoes to the tamarind pulp. you can also chop the tomatoes, if you prefer.
6. measure and keep all the ingredients ready for the rasam powder.
7. take ½ teaspoon whole black pepper, 1 to 1.5 teaspoon cumin seeds, 4 to 5 garlic cloves, 3 to 4 dry red chilies and ¼ cup of coriander leaves.
8. make a semi coarse mixture in a dry grinder or in a mortar-pestle with the ingredients mentioned under rasam powder.
9. measure and keep the ingredients ready for the tempering of rasam.
making tamarind rasam
10. heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan.
11. first fry ¾ teaspoon of black mustard seeds till they pop.
12. add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds.
13. fry till cumin are browned.
14. add 10 to 12 curry leaves and ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing). fry for some seconds. you can also add garlic in the tempering and then no need to make a semi coarse mixture of it with the rest of the ingredients.
15. add the tamarind pulp – crushed tomatoes mixture.
16. stir and mix well.
17. add the ground semi coarse rasam powder.
18. mix well.
19. stir and then add about 3 cups water.
20. season with salt as required.
21. stir well.
22. bring to one boil.
23. simmer puli rasam for 5 to 6 minutes.
24. lastly add few chopped coriander leaves and give a stir.
serve tamarind rasam hot.
hi
it is not possible to print this recipe
of course you can. i checked and the printer option is working. so i am not sure what is causing the issue from your end. it could be a computer or a mobile related issue.
Being a student in the UK away from home and missing rasam badly during a horrid cold brought me to your website. I tried the recipe and it’s come out wonderfully ! Yum Yum! And the best part was that I didn’t have to go hunting for rasam powder or some other ready made ingredient. Can’t wait to send pictures to Mom! Thanks!
welcome namitha. glad to know that you liked the recipe. happy cooking.
Thank you so much. I tried this recipe . It came out very well.
welcome sreevidya
Thanx for a wonderful recipe
My days in college down south relived!
Welcome Dr Ratna
This was one mystery that I never thought I’d solve. Although it seemed simple, I never really could get the rasam together. Really appreciate your efforts in motivating people to prepare food without any outside ingredients but preparing everything that is required right at home and in very little time and the simplest of ways with ease. My wife says that she’s prepared rasam more than 500 times and it never tasted better than the one I did and was never this colourful either. Passing all the credits to you, as always 🙂
thanks hemanth for your appreciation. rasam is prepared in different ways. though the basic ingredients are more or less same. each person makes it differently. but perhaps your wife loves the food that you cook for her.
Thanks good useful.
Welcome N.Sivakumar
Just a query- is garlic part of rasam powder ingredients and needs to be dry ground or is it part of tempering ingredients and needs to be chopped fine and used for tempering.
you can do either. sometimes i grind and sometimes i add garlic to the tempering. i will update the post too.
pls make sure it is whether 3 or 31/2,(or) 3 or 3 1/2 ?
its 3 or 3.5 cups water.
Tried this exact to your recipe, came out relish! 🙂
thanks judith
Good one
What is meant by “temper”? The rasam looks delicious.
savannagal, temper means tadka or chaunk. it is done by frying or sauting spices in hot oil or ghee. when the spices release their flavors, the whole mixture is added along with the oil to the main dish. this technique is oftenly used in most of indian dishes.
that’s a very nice piece of cookery i am dying to try it out
sounds yummy eager to try it out
Very nice recipe
Thank u . ….
welcome keeru
Very nice recipe
Thank u
Anytime comforting food….rasam and rice anytime fav meal
My husband and I can polish off rasam at any time of the year! We just need an excuse to have it. Your rasam sounds delish and a very promising recipe.
This rasam looks so nice, and without the podi even better. I like the picture.
thanks ash
such comforting food 🙂 The rasam i always love the most 🙂
Woww… Lovely and aromatic rasam.. looks delicious!!
Would you believe if I say I have never prepared Rasam at home myself. Its one of those things I am meaning to prepare for a very long time and never get a chance to.
My friend gave me the idea of an easy Lemon Rasam, very similar to this one. On my list again *Sigh*
nupur, give it a try. its an easy rasam recipe and specially good for cough and cold.
i have become your fan dassana.. love the lighting in your clicks and also simplicity.. rasam and potato poriyal are my fav combo 🙂
thanks preeti for the nice words.