Easy Tamil Style Rasam

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RASAM is a tangy, spiced “soup-like” dish that has a distinctive flavor. Rasam is a deep-rooted South Indian tradition! Made with tamarind, tomato, spices, and herbs. It is usually served alongside rice but can be enjoyed on its own as well.

The Recipe Intro↓ has more information on the Significance of Rasam in South Indian cuisine, and related links. If you’d like to check it out.

♦Prep time:5MIN ♦Cook time:5MIN  ♦Yield:1lARGEbowl

You can strike through ingredients, as you prep them, by clicking on the ingredient.

Ingredients:

Tempering:

Method:

1. Soak the tamarind pulp before you begin.
2. Add the cumin seeds, peppercorns, and coriander seeds to a mortar and crush gently. Add the entire bulb of garlic, without peeling, the shallot, green chilli, and the stems only of coriander. Use your pestle to crush everything together nicely, removing any tough parts of the garlic bulb as you do so. We leave most of the papery skin in there. Divide the crushed ingredients into two parts.
3. Slice the tomatoes and add to a wide bowl. Crush them thoroughly using your hands. We don’t want any chunks of tomato. Do not blend. Hand-crushing adds more character and a different flavor and look.
4. Add half of the crushed spice and ingredients to the tomato and crush together once more.
5. Now strain the softened tamarind pulp, adding more water to the bowl and repeating a few times. Add the tamarind water to the tomato mixture also, along with the coriander leaves.
6. Tempering: Heat the oil in a heavy-based wok/kadai. Add mustard seeds and allow to pop, before swiftly adding the broken dry chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida.
7. Add the remaining crushed ingredients and saute till nicely fragrant without going dark.
8. Add the prepared tomato-spice-tamarind-herb liquid mixture. Also, add enough water to fill a small kadai/ wok.
9. Add turmeric powder and salt to taste.
10. Cook on low – medium heat till the rasam starts to boil from the sides. Just as it bubbles up, turn off the heat. Rasam should not be left to simmer or boil.
11. Keep covered till time to serve. This rasam can be strained if you like to drink it or served with rice without straining.

Easy Tamil Style Rasam

Notes:

• Although inedible as it is, the papery skin of fresh garlic imparts immense flavor to soups and broth. You can remove the hardened parts of the garlic skin.
• Rasam must be cooked on low-medium heat till simmering. It must not be rushed on High heat.
• Rasam must not be boiled. Switch of the heat once it begins to boil.
• Lightly roasting the spices before crushing helps to increase the flavor.
• Using Indian garlic and tomatoes is recommended. Smaller garlic cloves and Roma-style tomatoes.
• Using Coconut oil or Ghee for tempering boosts flavor.
• Add a pinch or two of Jaggery to balance the tangy flavor. This boosts flavor also.
• Use fresh Asafoetida(Hing/Kayam).

Key Ingredients: Tomato, Tamarind, Spices, Garlic, Coriander leaves, Oil, Salt.

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Easy Tamil Style Rasam

Author: Shana Shameer