Rasam (aka Mulligatawny soup – derived from Tamil “milagu thanni”)
What you need
- Toor daal – ½ cup
- Chana daal – ¼ cup
- Urad daal – 1 tablespoon
- Tamarind paste – ¾ teaspoon
- Salt – ¾ teaspoon (add to taste)
- Pepper corns – about 10 (15 you like it more spicey)
- Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
- Coriander seeds (dhaniya) – ¼ teaspoon (optional)
- Asafetida (heeng in Hindi) powder - 3-4 "pinches"
- Mustard seed – ½ teaspoon
- Vegetable (canola) oil – 1 teaspoon
- Fresh ripe tomatoes - 2 (each size of a tennis ball)
- Chopped Ginger – ¼ teaspoon
- Green chili – 1 (size of a matchstick) – chop it into small pieces
- Coriander leaves - 1 tablespoon (plucked and washed)
- Curry leaves - 8-10 (plucked and washed) leaves
This recipe will yield 2-3 servings. It can be made in 15-20 minutes.
Now get to work
- Step 1: In a pan, dry roast Toor daal, Chana daal, Pepper corns, cumin seeds, and Coriander seeds (low flame, take it off the stove when the daal turns healthy golden color, don’t burn it!). Remove it from the pan into some other dry container.
- Step 2: Dice the tomatoes into small cubes.
- Step 3: Once the daal mixture from step 1 has cooled, grind the mix into a coarse powder
- Step 4: Dissolve 3/4 teaspoon tamarind paste (recommend “Tamcon”) in 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Add the tomatoes and the spice powder from steps 2 and 3. Throw in 4 curry leaves.
- Step 5: Boil the mix in medium flame for about 10 mins (stirring the mix occasionally).
- Step 6: When it starts to boil and froth at the top add 1.5 more cup water.
- Step 6: Bring it to a boil (about 5 mins).
- Step 7: Throw in the plucked coriander leaves and mix. Switch off the stove, and keep it covered. Rasam is almost ready...
- Step 8: In a little saucepan, heat up 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil add mustard seeds.
- Step 9: When the mustard seeds start to pop, add the urad daal, asafetida, chopped ginger, chopped green chili, and the remaining curry leaves to the hot oil, and cover with a lid; with a spoon stir the mix until the urad daal turns golden brown (about 1 minute). Remove the saucepan from the stove. (***IMPORTANT: make sure they don't char! This “seasoning” step is critical!***)
- Step 10: Add the seasoning from Step 9 to the Rasam (Step 7). Mix it a little.
Rasam is ready to be served! You can drink hot rasam as a soup or mix with rice and eat. Potato chips will go well with rasam.
Bon appetite!