Recipe CookBook

Spicy Tomato Rasam

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves 5

Ingredients:

2 large ripe healthy tomatoes

4 cups water or top water of boiled dal (stock)

2 whole red chillies

1 stalk curry leaves

1 tiny sprig mint leaves

1 tiny sprig coriander leaves

1-2 flakes garlic grated

2-3 pinches clove-cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp. sambar masala

8-10 peppercorns

1 1/2 tsp. seeds

1/2 tsp. mustard seeds

2 pinches asafoetida

1 marble sized ball of jaggery or 1/2 tsp. sugar

1 small strip tamarind

1 tbsp. ghee or oil

salt to taste

Method:

1-Put whole tomatoes in boiling water, simmer for 3 minutes, keep aside for 5 minutes.

Heat 1/4 tsp. oil in a small pan, add pepper corns and 1 tsp. seeds.

Roast till aromatic, grind in a mortar or under a stone till powdered. Keep aside.

Remove tomatoes from water, peel away the broken skin.

Grate or mash till fine.

2-To the thick pulp, add roasted whole chillies, all leaves, all masalas, salt, tamarind, jaggery and mash well either with hand or with a hand blender.

The ingredients should have blended well into the pulp.

Take in a deep pan, add stock or water.

Heat ghee in a small pan, add mustard and remaining seeds, asafoetida and allow to splutter.

3-Add garlic and stir, add carefully to the rasam.

Bring to a boil, check spices and salt and adjust.

Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Keep aside covered for 10 minutes before serving.

Serve hot as a soup or with steaming hot plain rice and papads.