Thakkali Rasam
South Indian tomato soup with lentils and spices
Ingredients
- 2 big tomato chopped
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- ½ tbsp tamarind paste / gooseberry sized tamarind
- 2 tbsp toor dal / pigeon peas
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp rasam powder
- ⅛ tsp asafoetida / hing
- 4-5 curry leaves
- 1 tsp jaggery
- Salt to taste
- 3-4 sprigs coriander leaves finely chopped
To temper
- 1 tsp ghee
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds / jeera
- 1 dry red chilly
- Few curry leaves
Instructions
- Wash and pressure cook the dal with ½ cup water and a pinch of turmeric powder. Mash well adding about ½ cup of water and set aside.
- Soak the tamarind in 2 cups of hot water and extract the tamarind juice. If using tamarind paste, dissolve in 2 cups warm water.
- To the tamarind juice add tomatoes, garlic, turmeric powder, rasam powder, asafoetida, curry leaves and salt. Mix well and bring to boil.
- Once it comes to boil, let it simmer for 6-8 minutes on low heat or until the tomatoes become soft.
- Add the cooked dal, jaggery and mix well. Simmer till the rasam becomes frothy. Remove from heat. Add coriander leaves.
- In a small pan, heat ghee and add mustard seeds. When it splutters, add red chilly, jeera and curry leaves. Pour over the rasam.
Notes
- Do not boil the rasam after it froths up.
- Add lots of fresh coriander including tender stems. This lends more flavor to rasam.