Tomato Rasam Recipe (Thakkali Rasam)
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Tomato Rasam (Thakkali Rasam, Tomato Charu) is a spicy, tangy South Indian-style soup made with tomatoes, tamarind, and a spice mix called rasam powder. It is a staple in most South Indian households and is served with steamed rice for everyday meals. Make it using my easy recipe.
Here are some more South Indian recipes you must try: Sambar, Paniyaram, Rava Idli, Lemon Rice, and Ven Pongal.
Table of Contents
Rasam is a staple in South Indian homes. It is made for everyday meals and served with hot rice. On cold days, it can also be enjoyed as a warm and comforting soup.
Rasam is derived from the word “ras,” which means “juice”.
Also known as saaru in Kannada and chaaru in Telugu, it has multiple variations. Each region has its own version and differs from house to house.
Some people make it with lentils, and some do not. Some add rasam powder to their recipe, and some do not. Pineapple, green mangoes, garlic, ginger, beetroot, cumin, pepper, etc., are added to give it a delicious twist.
In this post, I share the basic tomato rasam recipe I frequently make at home. It can be made with or without rasam powder and cooked lentils, and tastes delicious.
This rasam recipe took a few trials to develop. I love rasam, but most recipes I’ve tried have large chunks of tomato in the mouth, which is very unpleasant.
So, to address this, I roughly blended the tomatoes. It gave my rasam a perfect texture and retained all the yummy flavors. This one extra step made my rasam recipe a hit. Try it and let me know if you are looking forward to this change too!
I have some more rasam recipes you might like: Beetroot Rasam, Pepper Rasam, and Coconut Milk Rasam.
Ingredients
- Tomatoes – Fresh, ripe red tomatoes make the base of rasam and add a tangy, sweet taste.
- Toor Dal – You can make rasam with or without lentils. I like to add a little cooked toor dal to my recipe, as it makes it slightly thicker. If you want to make it without the dal, skip adding it to the recipe. You can cook the dal in a traditional pressure cooker or an Instant Pot. Check out my detailed toor dal recipe.
- Tamarind Paste – It gives a nice tangy taste. To make homemade tamarind extract, soak a lemon-sized ball of seedless tamarind in ½ cup of hot water for 15-20 minutes. Squeeze out the juice and discard the pulp. Use the tamarind water in the recipe in place of store-bought tamarind paste.
- Rasam Powder – Tomato rasam gets its taste from rasam powder. You can use homemade rasam powder or buy a packet.
- Tempering Ingredients – Once the rasam is ready, it is tempered with brown mustard seeds, asafetida (hing), and dry red chilies, enhancing its taste even more. Tempering is optional, but it does add a great taste.
- Other Ingredients – You will also need garlic, curry leaves, crushed black peppercorns, cumin seeds, cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), and salt to make the tomato rasam recipe.
How To Make Tomato Rasam
Make The Rasam
Step 1: Add ½ cup of chopped tomatoes to a blender.
Step 2: Pulse 2-3 times to make a coarse paste.
Step 3: Add the following ingredients to a pan.
- tomato paste
- 2 teaspoon tamarind pulp
- ¼ cup cooked and mashed tuvar dal (pigeon peas)
- 2-3 smashed garlic cloves
- 10-12 curry leaves
Now, add 2 cups of water and stir gently.
Step 4: Cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium. Now add the following ingredients and cook until they come to a boil.
- 1 tablespoon rasam powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon salt
Step 5: Check for salt and add more if needed. Add 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro and remove the pan from the heat.
Temper The Rasam
Step 6: Heat 1 tablespoon ghee for tempering in a small pan over medium-high heat. Add the following ingredients once the ghee is hot, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida
- 1 broken dry red chili
Step 7: Pour the tempering over the rasam and stir well. Serve hot.
Tomato Rasam FAQs
Yes, you can replace tamarind with freshly squeezed lime juice or kokum. Though tamarind adds a unique flavor, both of the above options are great substitutes for tanginess.
If using kokam, add 2-3 pieces while cooking, and if using lime juice, add it once the rasam is ready and off heat.
Yes, if you are looking for a no-onion, no-garlic recipe, you can skip adding garlic.
Leftover rasam can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Reheat over low heat until hot before serving.
You can also freeze it for upto 3 months. Thaw, reheat, and serve.
Serving Suggestions
Rasam is traditionally served as a comforting side dish with hot steamed rice or curd rice, and a dollop of ghee. A side of beans poriyal, beetroot poriyal, or thoran makes this meal even better.
It can be served on its own as a soup.
Serve thakkali rasam as a side dish with a festive South Indian meal featuring Sambar, Rice, Thoran, Pachadi, Elai Vadam, and a South Indian sweet dish.
Rasam Idli and Rasam Medu Vada are popular breakfast combinations.
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Tomato Rasam Recipe (Thakkali Rasam)
Ingredients
For The Rasam
- ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons tamarind paste
- ¼ cup cooked and mashed toor dal (yellow pigeon peas lentils)
- 2-3 garlic cloves (peeled and smashed)
- 10-12 curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon crushed cumin seeds
- 1 tablespoon rasam powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (fresh coriander) leaves
For The Tempering
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ½ teaspoon brown mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 1 dry red chili (broken)
Instructions
Make The Rasam
- Add tomatoes to a blender and pulse 2-3 times to make a coarse paste.
- Add tomato paste, tamarind paste, tuvar dal, garlic, and curry leaves to a pan.
- Add 2 cups of water and stir gently.
- Cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium.
- Now add rasam powder, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, and salt, and cook until it comes to a boil.
- Check for salt and add more if needed.
- Add cilantro and remove the pan from heat.
Temper The Rasam
- Heat ghee for tempering in a small skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once the ghee is hot, add mustard seeds, asafetida, and dry red chili, and let them crackle for 4-5 seconds.
- Pour the tempering over the rasam and stir well. Serve hot.
Can I freeze Rasam?
Yes, you can for upto 3 months. Thaw, reaheat, and use.