Tomato Rasam

Ingredients

Tomatoes – 4 nos (grind 3 nos to a fine paste and finely chop the 4th tomato)
Tamarind paste of size of half a lemon
Rasam Pwd – 4 tbsps
Water – 2 glasses (or depending on how dilute you want the Rasam)
Salt – As required
Turmeric pwd – 1 tsp

For Seasoning

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Jeera / Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Refined oil – 1 tsp
Curry Leaves – few
Asaphoetida – 2 tsps (diluted in 1 tsp water)

For Garnish

Coriander leaves – ½ cup – finely chopped

Preparation Method

Boil 1 finely chopped tomato in a glass of water with little salt. Then add the ground tomato paste. After 2 minutes add the tamarind paste and let it boil till the raw smell of tamarind disappears. Add a glass of water to make the preparation dilute. Then add rasam pwd. Finally when it starts to simmer, add finely chopped coriander leaves and asaphoetida mixture. Turn off gas. In a separate kadai, heat 1 tsp oil, add mustard seeds, once it splutters, add curry leaves and jeera. Add this to the rasam. Rasam is ready. This can be had with rice.

Rasam can be made in various other varieties.

Garlic Rasam
Just add 1 cup of garlic (peeled) with tomato in the beginning while putting them to boil.

Ginger Rasam
Add ½ cup of grated garlic along with tomato in the beginning while putting them to boil.

The other varieties of Rasam will be discussed later.