Name: Rasam
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 2 tbsp tamarind pulp; 2 cups hot water; 1 tbsp black peppercorns; 1 tbsp cumin seeds; 3 cloves garlic; 2 tomatoes; 1 tbsp rasam powder; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1 tsp jaggery; 2 cups cooked toor dal water; 2 tbsp ghee or oil; 1 tsp mustard seeds; 1 dried red chilli; a sprig curry leaves; a pinch asafoetida; a handful coriander leaves

2 tbsp

1 Soak and strain 10m

3 Simmer the tamarind with the spices, 8 minutes 10m

4 Simmer gently 10 minutes — never boil 12m

6 Pour the tempering over and take it off the heat as it froths 2m The moment it froths up at the edges, it is done. Boiling flattens it.

2 cups

1 tbsp

2 Crush coarsely 3m Crushed, not ground. You want visible flecks and a rougher heat.

1 tbsp

3 cloves

1 tbsp

1 1/2 tsp

1 tsp

2 cups

2 tbsp

5 Fry until the mustard seeds pop 2m

1 tsp

a sprig

a pinch

a handful

Do not boil it

Rasam’s character comes from volatile aromatics — pepper, cumin, curry leaf, coriander — which evaporate readily. A rolling boil drives them off and leaves you with sour, salty water. Bring it just to the point where it froths at the edges and take it off. This is also why the tempering goes in last.

Notes

Crush the pepper and cumin coarsely rather than grinding fine. Rasam should have texture in its heat.
The starchy water from cooking dal is the traditional body. Plain water works and is thinner.
Drink it from a cup, spoon it over rice, or use it to clear a cold. All three are correct.

Method

Soak and strain

Crush coarsely

Simmer the tamarind with the spices, 8 minutes

Simmer gently 10 minutes — never boil

Fry until the mustard seeds pop

Pour the tempering over and take it off the heat as it froths

Do not boil it

Notes