Tomato rasam without dal
Mangalore style rasam with freshly roasted spices and coconut!
Equipment
- Blender/Indian mixer-grinder
- Measuring cups used(US cups). 1 cup =240ml
Ingredients
- 350 grams tomato about 3 cups
- 2½ cups water used divided
- ½ cup fresh/frozen coconut
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tbsp jaggery
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- dry tamarind check notes
- 1 sprig curry leaves
Spices to roast
- 2 tsp coriander seeds kottambari/dhania
- ¾ tsp cumin seeds jeera
- 20 fenugreek seeds methi
- 3 byadagi dry red chillies or to taste
- ¼ tsp asafoetida/hing
- 5 curry leaves
Instructions
- Chop tomatoes into bite size pieces. Add chopped tomatoes into a pot, add 1 cup of water, salt, turmeric powder, jaggery and allow the tomatoes to cook on medium heat.
- While the tomatoes are cooking, roast the spices. Heat a teaspoon of oil in a small heavy bottomed pan on low-medium heat. First add in the fenugreek seeds as they take longer to roast compared to the other spices used. Roast fenugreek seeds until they are golden and fragrant. Next add in the dry red chillies and roast for 30 seconds. Add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida/hing and roast for another 1-1½ minutes.
- Defrost coconut if using frozen. Cold coconut will separate fat upon blending, so coconut has to be at room temperature. Defrosting can be done by heating coconut in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
- Add the roasted spices, coconut, tamarind, ½ cup water into a blender jar and blend into a smooth paste.
- When the tomatoes are cooked, add the coconut spice paste into the tomatoes. Add a cup of water into the blender jar, swirl and add the water into the pot.
- Taste and adjust the salt and jaggery.
- Bring the rasam to a gentle boil and simmer for 4 minutes.
- Serve hot/warm with rice.
Video
Notes
- Karnataka Byadagi or Kashmiri dry red chillies work best in this recipe.
- This saaru/rasam can be made without tomatoes. In that case, just increase the quantity of tamarind to make a 'plain saaru'. If using lesser tomatoes than mentioned, increase the amount of tamarind accordingly.
- The quantity of tamarind needs to be decided based on sourness of the tomatoes. I needed less than 1 gram of dry tamarind.
- Tastes great the next day too! Store leftovers in the refrigerator and bring to a gentle boil before serving.
- Any unrefined sugar can be used instead of jaggery.
- If gluten-intolerant, use gluten-free hing.