Recipe- Hot And Spicy Tomato Rasam

Tomato Rasam is a delicious thin spicy tomato soup from Southern India. The version I am sharing is from Andhra Pradesh and is popular as Tomato Charu. I loved this version more as it have all the flavors- salty,spicy, tangy and little sweet

Rasam and Sambhar are the most popular Recipe from Southern Indian . There are numerous delicious recipes of making different type of rasam/ charu/ saaru . This tomato rasam is my favorite one , it can be served with hot rice or can be served as a soup/appetizer .

Making tomato rasam is very easy and simple . I just grind the tomatoes and make a puree in a blender jar. Though I have seen many blanch the tomatoes and remove the skin but I make it simple no peeling no straining the pulp needed. Just make puree and add in the cooking pan and then add all the spices and simmer. But if wish you can blanch or peel the tomatoes or sieve it after making the puree.

Ingredients

4 big Tomatoes / Tamatar
lemon size Tamarind / Imli
3/4 tsp Red Chilli powder / Laal mirch powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder / Haldi Powder
2 tsp Rasam Powder
1.5 tsp Jaggary / Gud * grated
to taste Salt / Namak
1/4 cup Fresh Coriander / Cilantro / Hara Dhaniya chopped
2 tsp Clarified Butter / Desi Ghee
1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds / Sabut Jeera
1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds / Rai *
1/4 tsp Asafoetida / Hing powder
12 Curry Leaves / Kadi Patta
2 Dried Red Chilli, Whole

Method

* Soak tamarind in a cup of water , when it become soft then mash and squeeze it and take out the pulp and keep aside.

* Roughly chop the tomatoes and grind in a blender and make a smooth paste.

* Add the tomato puree in a pan and add 3 cups of water ,chili powder and turmeric and boil on medium heat for 5 minutes.

* Now add the tamarind water (1 cup) and salt in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.

* Now add rasam powder and cook further for 3-4 minutes on medium heat.

* Heat ghee in small pan and add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. when they start crackling then add the dried red chilies , asafoetida and curry leaves.

* Add this tadka on the boiling rasam and switch off the heat

* Add chopped fresh coriander and cover the pan with a lid so it will absorb all the flavour. serve after 5 minutes.

* Serve hot after with rice and ghee or as a soup.