This is a home-style, spicy, comforting rasam recipe with tomato, and garlic also known as thakkali poond rasam in Tamil.
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What is Rasam?
For those not familiar with this magical soupy curry, let me give you a brief introduction. Rasam is a gluten-free, vegetarian soup prepared with vegetables or lentils. The consistency of rasam is watery or very thin making it a perfect appetizer or digestive drink before an elaborate South Indian meal.
A piping hot rasam is an excellent home remedy for cold, cough, or a bad throat.
Tamil Style Tomato Garlic Rasam
This tomato rasam recipe was humbly penned down by the house-help with many traditional South Indian recipes as a parting gift while leaving Chennai.
She had no accurate measure of the ingredients for the rasam recipe. Someday she will add more garlic while, on some occasions, a fistful of chopped fresh coriander leaves. But each time, her tomato garlic rasam had different flavour profiles equally delectable than the previous one.
USP Of this Rasam Recipe: This is a quick and flavoursome rasam recipe. It is a cross between the authentic tomato (thakalli) rasam and poond (garlic) rasam. You can also call it tomato charu or saaru. The key ingredients are – tomato, garlic, and black pepper.
Rasam Powder
There is no finger-licking good rasam possible without rasam powder.
Either you can use the store-bought rasam masala powder or follow my secret homemade rasam powder recipe to make your own batch.
My rasam masala has lentils (dals), whole spices, red chilies, and asafoetida. All these ingredients take tomato rasam to another level of deliciousness.
How To Make Tomato Rasam
- Heat ghee or any vegan cooking oil in a heavy bottom kadhai. Add mustard seeds, red chili, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Fry for 10 – 20 seconds or till the seeds start spluttering (image 1).
- Add chopped tomato, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, and cook for 3 – 5 minutes or till tomatoes turn mushy ( image 2).
- Combine garlic cloves, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, and coriander stalks in a blender. Grind to a coarse powder. Do not use water to make a smooth paste (image 3)
- Add fresh garlic paste prepared earlier. Stir to combine and cook for a minute (image 4).
- Add 4 cups of water and rasam masala powder. Stir, and gently mash the tomato using the back of the ladle. At this stage, taste and adjust the seasoning as per personal preference (image 5).
- Let the rasam simmer over low heat for the next 15 – 20 minutes. Keep stirring at regular intervals. So not cook it for too long.
Garnish with loads of chopped fresh coriander.
Serving Suggestion
In South India, a rasam is served two ways – one, as an appetizing digestive drink before the meal. Second, in an elaborate Southern style meal it is served with steamed rice and other dishes like fish fry, Chettinad chicken masala, vegetable sides like thoran or poriyal, potato roast, sambar, and kosambri.
At times, rasam is served in a tumbler along with other main-course dishes to sip in-between meals. Either way, its a comforting and gratifying dish.
Are you looking for more traditional South Indian recipes – try the comforting Majjige Huli, Cucumber Tambuli, Karwar style Valval, or the summer special Mango Rice.
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Tomato Garlic Rasam Recipe
- Blender
- Heavy Bottom Kadhai
Ingredients
Ingredients To Grind:
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
- 5 – 6 fresh coriander stalks
- 6 – 8 garlic cloves
Ingredients For Curry:
- 2 tablespoon ghee or gingelly oil or cooking oil
- 2 dry red chilli
- 4 – 5 curry leaves
- ¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds (rai)
- 1 Cup chopped tomato
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon Rasam Powder (see recipe here)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
Instructions
- To make the Tomato Garlic Rasam, combine garlic cloves, black peppercorns, cumin seeds, and coriander stalks in a blender. Grind to a coarse powder. Do not use water to make a smooth paste. Set it aside.
- Next, heat ghee or any vegan cooking oil in a heavy bottom kadhai. Add mustard seeds, red chili, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Fry for 10 – 20 seconds or till seeds starts spluttering.
- Add chopped tomato, turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, and cook for 3 – 5 minutes or till tomatoes turn mushy.
- Add fresh garlic paste prepared earlier. Stir to combine and cook for a minute.
- Add 4 cups of water and rasam masala powder. Stir, and gently mash the tomato using the back of the ladle. At this stage, taste and adjust the seasoning as per personal preference.
- Let the rasam simmer over low heat for the next 15 – 20 minutes. Keep stirring at regular intervals. So not cook it for too long.
- Garnish with loads of chopped fresh coriander.
- Serve with steamed rice or as an appetizer.
Recipe Notes:
- Use ripe and juicy tomatoes to make rasam.
- Adjust the amount of garlic and spices according to your preference. I usually, use a whole pod of garlic to make rasam.
- If rasam masala powder is not available skip it. It is for the added flavor.
- Do not cook the rasam for too long as it starts losing medicinal properties.
- It is not recommended to store rasam in the fridge and reheat. It is best consumed hot and fresh.
Priya says
This looks so tempting!! My roomie used to make tomato rasam which I loved, but forgot the recipe. Will give yours a try. Thanks for sharing.
Gayathri says
Hi!
Loved the recipe to bits. I was just wondering when do I add the grated ginger mentioned in the recipe.
Thanks 🙂
Hina Gujral says
I am glad you liked the recipe. Add grated ginger while boiling the tomato. Thanks for pointing it out will include in the instructions.
Adriana says
You can never have too many tomato based recipes – or too much garlic.:) I’ll give this a try, can’t say I’ve ever tried rasam, but it looks very good!
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Neela says
Hi , while your recipe is the best way to make this rasam , it would add some zing to squeeze the juice of one small lime into it at the end . Here one can reduce salt and make it a healthier option
Nishant says
I like the consistency of Rasam in this recipe. Mouth-watering recipe!!
Smitha Deepak says
Wow I can’t beleive I finally got my rasam spot on the way I wanted all this while. Thanks so much for such a prescise recipe n now I can flaunt with this recipe in the coming vishu
Hina Gujral says
So happy you like the recipe and find it useful. Stay tuned with us for more such fabulous recipes.