Tomato Rasam {South Indian Soup} is the South Indian version of tomato soup. Based on an ayurvedic diet, it contains the 6 required tastes; Sour, spicy, sweet, bitter, pungent and astringent. Known for its health benefits, www.kcrw.com rightly calls it India's version of "comforting, cure-all chicken soup".
The delicious tomato rasam became even more popular during Covid after chef Arun Rajadurani supplied it to hospital patients in Princeton during Covid. With this history, it seems the perfect recipe to kick off fall and flu season with!
Why This Recipe ?
Although this is not a traditional Pakistani recipe, I first came upon it when researching the origins of mulligatawny-soup 2 years ago. Intrigued by the combination of flavors and the health benefits of the recipe, I was determined to find and try an authentic recipe for myself.
My first taste was at a South Indian restaurant a year ago and I was completely in love! That bowl of soup set the standard for this recipe and after much trial and error and a year of recipe development and testing, this is my easy tomato rasam {South Indian Soup} recipe!
The Types of Tomato Rasam
Amongst one of the most popular recipes in South Indian Cuisine, Rasam is a delicious dish also often referred to as Tomato Charu or Thakkali Rasam recipe.
There are many different varieties of Rasam Recipes. Based on my research, the traditional rasam recipe was made with only tamarind water.
Now most recipes are made with a combination of tomatoes and tamarind. At times, some people make them with simply tomatoes, omitting the tamarind altogether!
Some of the more well known varieties are:
- Pepper rasam
- Hot Rasam
- Tomato Garlic Rasam
Some people like to add lentils to their soup and some like it watery, almost translucent. The type of lentils used vary as does the amount and the thickness of the soup. I've presented my best version here but you can tweak it as you see fit!
The Recipe
The list of ingredients for the South Indian Tomato Rasam Recipe may be long, but the actual cooking process is very easy and quick!
The Ingredients
After some research, I decided that I prefer to make my own homemade rasam powder rather than using a store bought mix. Roasting, grinding and blending your own fresh ingredients always tastes better.
The Tomatoes
Juicy tomatoes are what this soup needs and my prefered variety to use are Roma tomatoes. Let me add that you must make sure that you use fully ripe tomatoes for the best flavor!
Some people make a tomato paste or tomato puree first, but I simply slice off the tops, quarter and throw them in the pot. I feel since the whole soup is about the tomatoes, it's best to let the tomatoes slowly cook down and release that tomato flavor.
Add in the spice powders such as the turmeric powder, red chili powder, black pepper and salt as well as the curry leaves at this time too. The smell of the curry leaves is an integral part of the soup.
If you've ever used them you'll never want to omit them from a recipe. However, sourcing them here in the USA can be a bit tricky so if you can't source them then just omit these.
All of the above flavors fuse with the tomatoes as they slow cook together for an amazing Tomato Rasam {South Indian Soup}!
The Tarka {Tempering}
Now that your tomatoes are done it's time to temper the whole spice blend and a few of the other ingredients. Tempering, known as tarka in South Asian cuisine is an ancient technique that really helps bring out the flavor in ingredients.
In this recipe, the 1.5 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1 teaspoon mustard seeds are sauteed in 2 tablespoon ghee. This is followed by a ground paste of the garlic cloves, ginger root and fresh coriander leaves. Once the aroma is released, the entire mixture is added to the simmering tomatoes.
The Lentils
Next, the soaked toor dal goes in and the soup simmers for about 20 minutes so that all the flavors can blend in.
The Tamarind
The tamarind pulp is the last thing to go in. If you add it in too early, the cooking process causes it to lose some of its acidity. We want that slightly tangy flavor to dominate in the soup. If you don't have fresh pulp at home, you can use store bought tamarind paste instead. Cook for no more than 10 minutes after you add the tamarind!
Serve Your Tomato Rasam With
I personally enjoy my soup on its own but some people like theirs with some hot steamed rice as a main course.
Other Recipes To Try
- pakistani-beef-roast-with-tandoori-masala
- easy-balochi-sajji-chicken
- homemade-deli-roast-beef
- grilled-tandoori-lamb-chops
- easy-chicken-tikka-sandwich-recipe
- roasted-leg-of-goat-raan
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Tomato Rasam {South Indian Soup}
Ingredients
- 2 cups tomatoes (SEE NOTES)
- 6 cups water
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp red chili powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 20 curry leaves (SEE NOTES)
- 2 tbsp ghee (SEE NOTES)
- 1 ½ tsp white cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 10 cloves garlic
- 1 inch piece ginger
- 10 stalks cilantro
- 2 tbsp lentils (Pigeon Peas/Toor Dal) (SEE NOTES)
- ½ cup tamarind water (SEE NOTES)
Instructions
- Chop the tops off the tomatoes and quarter them.
- Add in the salt, red chili powder, turmeric and black pepper.
- Add in the water and the curry leaves and turn the stove on and bring to a boil.
- Cover and let the mixture simmer.
- Soak the lentils in some water and set aside.
- Use a small grinder to make a paste of the garlic, ginger and cilantro.
- Heat the Ghee and saute the cumin seeds and mustard seeds for 30 seconds.
- Add the prepared paste and saute everything for about 1 minute before adding it to the tomato mixture.
- Drain the lentils, add them to the mixture, cover and cook for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, uncover the pot and use a masher to slightly blend in all of the ingredients.
- Add in the tamarind and cook for an additional 10 minutes for the flavor to fuse.
- Garnish with some cilantro and enjoy!
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