Easy Tomato Rasam

I hated rasam. I tasted rasam for the first time when I went to Tamil Nadu one time and I just couldn’t understand what this dark water curry was? We ordered a thali and there it was in a small steel tumbler, some kind of brownish water. I poured it on the rice thinking it was some kind of sambar and I thought the hotel people were fooling us by giving colored water as curry.

I hated that water! First of all, I didn’t know I had to mix it only after the meal as a final lap. And it tastes delicious if you mix it with a little buttermilk. It is even better if you just drink it. All these rasam tricks, I had no clue.

Later, I took some liking to it when I knew about all those tricks.

But, how do you prepare it?

Dal water, Rasam powder, yada...yada...yada.

Oh! I am not going to take so much trouble to make a curry which is not even a curry.

So I never made rasam.

Wait, that is not the end of story. I was visiting a friend of mine in Dallas. She had unexpected guests and she made something quickly for dinner and what did she make? Rasam! No rasam powder, no dal water, nothing. But it tasted soooo good, better than any rasam I had ever had.Here is that recipe. All those rasam aficionados don’t be shocked at this version. Try it and you will love it.

5 ripe tomatoes cut into 4
2 tsp whole peppercorns
½ tsp cumin
2 tsp coriander seeds
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp red chili powder
6 cloves of garlic
3inch tamarind soaked in warm water for some time, squeezed and strained to get the tamarind liquid.
1 tsp sambar powder – optional

Blend all this in a mixer adding ½ cup water.

Heat 1 tsp oil, splutter mustard seeds, pour this mixture and when it starts to boil, simmer for 5 minutes. That’s it. Tomato Rasam is ready! Easy as a breeze isn’t it?A must for any rasam, I have understood is fresh coriander leaves. Garnish with coriander leaves and have it with rice.