Tomato Rasam | Thakkali Rasam (Tomato Charu)

A warm and comforting rasam/spicy soup, just perfect in any weather! Here comes my mothers Instant Kerala Style Rasam Recipe under 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Rasam powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds

10 Black pepper corns 

2 to 3 Dry red chillies without stem 

¼ tsp Hing

1 tbsp  Toor Daal 

A pinch of turmeric powder 

Rasam base 

4 to 5  Tomatoes

Salt

½ tsp Turmeric Powder

Tamarind piece -lemon size 

3 cups Water

Temper

Ghee - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Dry Red chilli - 1or 2  

Curry leaves - few

Garnish 

2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Method 

1.On a low heat, dry roast the cumin seeds, peppercorns, red chillies and toor daal  often stirring till they are fragrant and golden. Ensure that the spices don’t get burnt. Once roasted well then remove the spices in a plate, add turmeric powder and hing and let them cool at room temperature.Once the spices are cooled,add all the spices to a dry grinder  or spice grinder. Grind these spices to a fine powder. Keep aside the rasam powder.

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2.Add the chopped tomatoes, salt , turmeric powder and tamarind into a bowl. 

3. Add 3 cups of water .Cover, place it on heat  and cook  until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.

4.Strain the tomato liquid through a juice strainer.Stir and press the pulp with a spoon so that all the purée and pulp is strained leaving only a little pulp and discard the pulp. Add 1 to 2 cups of water to the strained liquid   Place this on the heat . Add the rasam powder into the sieved liquid. Now place it back on the heat and after the rasam comes to a boil, add chopped cilantro .Mix it and bring it to  boil and turn off the heat.

5.Add the ingredients mentioned into a tempering pot and place it on heat. Once the temper is ready pour it into the rasam mixture

That's it. The rasam is ready. Serve it hot with rice and any dry curry or relish it as soup.