
Thin, tangy South Indian pepper-tomato broth
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
25 min
Servings
4
4 cups
Difficulty
Easy
Cost
Budget
$
Thin, tangy South Indian pepper-tomato broth
A fiery, sour, and aromatic broth made from tomatoes, tamarind, black pepper, and cumin. Served as a soup course or poured over rice in South Indian meals.
10m
Prep Time
15m
Cook Time
25m
Total Time
4
Servings
Easy
Difficulty
Budget $
Cost
(Updated )
Rasam is South India's answer to chicken soup—a thin, peppery, tangy broth that warms you from the inside out. It is drunk as a soup or mixed with rice as part of a traditional meal.
Crush tomatoes by hand; mix with tamarind water, turmeric, salt, and rasam powder if using.
Dry-toast 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp peppercorns until fragrant, then crush coarsely.
Bring the tomato-tamarind mixture to a boil, add crushed spices, and simmer 8 minutes.
Stir in cooked dal if using; continue simmering until the rasam froths on top (do not over-boil).
Prepare a tadka with ghee, mustard seeds, curry leaves, and chilies; pour into rasam and serve immediately.
Serve with warm naan bread or basmati rice
Top with fresh cilantro and a squeeze of lime
Pair with a cooling cucumber raita on the side
Different tang profile but works in a pinch
Many rasam recipes are purely tomato and spice based
Test Kitchen Pick
Soy Sauce
Helpful Pantry Staple
This is doing more than adding salt. The right soy sauce gives the recipe a rounder, more savory base than a thin generic bottle.
This pantry choice affects depth more than most seasonings here.
A better soy sauce is one of the easiest pantry upgrades for Asian cooking.
Shop soy sauce for this recipeStop simmering as soon as the rasam froths up—over-boiling dulls the fresh, peppery flavors.
Rasam is traditionally served in small cups as a palate cleanser between courses.
Best served immediately. Refrigerate for up to 2 days but flavor diminishes.
Warm gently; do not boil vigorously or the delicate flavors will be lost.
Per serving (0mg) · 4 servings
A light, low-calorie option · based on a 2,000 cal daily diet
Nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.
Sarah Chen is a professional recipe developer and food editor with over a decade of experience in test kitchens and food media. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America before spending six years developing and testing recipes for national food publications, where she honed her ability to translate restaurant techniques into approachable home cooking. At RecipePool, Sarah leads recipe development, ensuring every dish is tested at least three times for clarity, accuracy, and genuine deliciousness. When she is not in the kitchen, she is browsing farmers markets and collecting vintage cookbooks.
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