Pepper Rasam Recipe (Milagu Rasam)
Pepper Rasam, also called Milagu Rasam, is a South Indian soup made with black pepper, cumin, garlic, tamarind, and tomatoes. This comforting rasam is a staple in Tamil Nadu households and is widely served as part of the South Indian thali. Make authentic, homestyle black pepper rasam at home with my easy recipe.
Here are some more rasam recipes that you may like: Beetroot Rasam, Coconut Milk Rasam, and Tomato Rasam.
A Quick Look At This Pepper Rasam Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Serves: 4
- Cuisine: South Indian
- Course: Soup / Main Course with Rice
- Diet: Vegan, can be easily made Gluten-Free
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Equipment: Pan, Mortar & Pestle, Spatula
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Why You’ll Love This Family Favorite Recipe!
- Uses freshly crushed black pepper and cumin for maximum aroma
- Naturally vegan, light, and healing
- Perfect for cold, cough, sore throat & digestion
- Ready in under 20 minutes
- Authentic Tamil Brahmin-style preparation
- Pairs beautifully with steamed rice, ghee, and papad
Table of Contents
About Pepper Rasam
Milagu = Black Pepper and Rasam = Herbal broth made using tamarind, spices, and herbs in Tamil.
Pepper Rasam, also called Milagu Rasam, is a South Indian style soup made with lots of black pepper, cumin seeds, garlic, tomatoes, and a few other simple ingredients.
It is popularly made in Tamil households and is served with hot steamed rice, ghee, and a side of papad or a veg poriyal (dry sabji) such as Beetroot Poriyal. It can also be served a soup before meals.
I learned to make this recipe from one of my Tamil neighbours in Bangalore. She was an excellent cook and would send a dabba full of her home-cooked food regularly for me. I learned many Tamil-style recipes from her, and this is just one of them. Her Black Pepper Rice and Lemon Rice are my favorites, too.
Do try this recipe. It is super easy to make and comes together in under 20 minutes using a very few simple ingredients that are mostly available at home.
Ingredients
Whole Spices – You will need whole black peppercorns, cumin seeds, brown mustard seeds, and dried red chilies.
Fresh Ingredients – Garlic cloves, tomatoes, curry leaves, and cilantro are the fresh ingredients you will need to make this recipe.
Others – You will also need oil, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, asafetida (hing), and tamarind paste.
Use any cooking oil that you use in your kitchen.
Adjust the red chili powder as per your taste.
How To Make Milagu Rasam
Prepare The Pepper Cumin Paste
Step 1: Add 3 teaspoon black peppercorns, 2 teaspoon cumin seeds, and 4-5 garlic cloves to a mortar and pestle.
Step 2: Crush to make a coarse paste. Discard the peels of garlic.
Cook The Tomato Base
Step 3: Heat 2 teaspoon of oil in a pan over medium heat.
Step 4: Once the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds and 2 dry red chilies and let them crackle for 5-6 seconds.
Step 5: Add ½ cup of finely chopped tomatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 10-12 curry leaves, and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
Add The Pepper Cumin Paste
Step 6: Add the pepper-cumin paste and mix well.
Step 7: Now add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon red chili powder, and ¼ teaspoon hing and mix well.
Step 8: Add 3 cups of plain water and 1 tablespoon tamarind paste.
Step 9: Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 10: Check for salt and tamarind paste, and add more if needed.
Step 11: Add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander and serve immediately.
Pro Tips By Neha
When making the pepper-cumin paste, ensure there are no large pieces of peppers or garlic, as if they come in the mouth when you are sipping the rasam, it will not taste enjoyable.
We never boil rasam aggressively after adding the spice paste – this protects volatile pepper compounds and flavor oils.
In temples, this rasam is made without tomatoes. You can try this variation too.
Increase the amount of jeera or peppercorns if you like the stronger taste.
To make this recipe gluten-free, skip adding asafetida (hing). The remaining ingredients are gluten-free.
Storage Suggestions
Pepper Rasam will stay good in the refrigerator in an airtight container for upto 24 hours. Reheat it gently over medium-low heat before serving.
Other Tamil Style Recipes We Recommend
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Pepper Rasam Recipe (Milagu Rasam)
Ingredients
- 3 teaspoons black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 4-5 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- 2 dried red chilies
- ½ cup finely chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 10-12 curry leaves
- ¼ teaspoon tuemric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing) (skip for a gluten-free recipe)
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoons tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Instructions
Prepare The Pepper Cumin Paste
- Add peppercorns, cumin seeds, and garlic cloves to a mortar and pestle.
- Crush to make a coarse paste. Discard the peels of garlic.
Cook The Tomato Base
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds and dry red chilies and let them crackle for 5-6 seconds.
- Add tomatoes, salt, and curry leaves, and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
Add The Pepper Cumin Paste
- Add the pepper-cumin paste and mix well.
- Now add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and hing and mix well.
- Add water and tamarind paste.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Check for salt and tamarind paste, and add more if needed.
- Add fresh coriander and serve immediately.
It was so comforting, we all loved it at home