Servings: 5 

Ingredients: 

• 5-6 garlic cloves 

• A handful of curry leaves 

• 4 dried red chillies 

• Coriander leaves 

• 3.5 teaspoons cumin seeds 

• 1 teaspoon black pepper 

• Gooseberry-sized tamarind pulp 

• 2 tablespoons oil 

• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds 

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds 

• 1/4 teaspoon hing/asafoetida 

• 3-4 crushed garlic cloves 

• 3 tomatoes 

• Salt to taste 

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 

• 1 tablespoon rasam powder/curry powder 

• 1 tablespoon jaggery powder 

• Water  

Method: 

1. Crush garlic, a few curry leaves, 2 red chillies, some coriander leaves, 3 teaspoons cumin seeds, and black pepper in a mortar until the garlic is mashed into a paste.

2. Soak the tamarind in 1/4 cup of water in a small bowl to make pulp.  

3. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds and let them pop. 

4. Next, add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. 

5. Now, add 2 red chillies and asafoetida, and stir well. 

6. Add crushed garlic and sauté for a few seconds, then add curry leaves and stir. 

7. Add tomatoes, salt, tamarind pulp, turmeric, rasam powder, jaggery powder, and mix well.  

8. Add around 1 litre of water and boil until the tomatoes are tender. 

9. Next, add the crushed spices and boil for just a minute. 

10. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve rasam hot as a soup or with steamed rice.