Tomato Rasam

We don't use tamarind in our dishes as much as possible. This started with the requirement
for dad's diet, and I got used to it. After marriage, I realized hubby dear is not used to tamarind
at all and anything too tangy he simply refuses to eat/drink.

So we don't add tamarind for rasam either. The tanginess usually comes from a medium sized tomato.

Mom usually adds dal water and makes it taste so wonderful. I can never replicate mom's sambhar or
rasam even though we use exactly the same ingredients and follow the same procedure in the same kitchen ;).
She is just the best when it comes to south indian dishes.

When we don't make dal, then we go for slight variations with rasam. Sometimes we add a few drops
of lemon juice or puree the tomatoes.

Here is my version of tomato rasam:

Ingredients:

Tomato - 1 large or 2 medium sized

Cumin powder - 1 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Garlic paste - 1 tsp

Water - 3 cups

Tadka (tempering):

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Whole urad dal - 1/2 tsp

Cumin (Jeera) - 1/2 tsp

Red chillies - 2 (broken in half) (optional)

Curry leaves - 6-8

Oil - 1 tsp

Method:

Cut the tomatoes in 4 and add it to 1 cup of water in a pan. Bring to boil and allow for 5 minutes. Allow it to cool. Peel the tomato mash it with hands. Add the spices powder, garlic paste and remaining water and bring to a boil for a few minutes. 

Heat the oil and add the tadka items, when they start to splutter, turn off the flame. Add the tadka to the rasam and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve hot as soup or eat with rice and papad.

Verdict: This is a sure hit. Make this anytime on a cold day and have it as soup.