Sides, breads & soups · Andhra Pradesh

Miryala Rasam

A thin, peppery Andhra rasam of tamarind, tomato and crushed garlic, sharp with black pepper and cumin. The one you want when you have a cold.

Prep 10 min · Cook 20 min · Total 30 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

Rasam

• 1 ½ tsp Black peppercorns
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 6 cloves Garlic
• 1 ½ tbsp Tamarind pulp
• 2 Ripe tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ tsp Turmeric
• 1 tsp Jaggery
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped

Tadka

• 1 tbsp Oil
• ½ tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 Dried red chillies
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• ¼ tsp Asafoetida

Method

1. Crush the spices. Pound the peppercorns and cumin coarsely in a mortar, then add the garlic, skins and all, and crush to a rough paste.
2. Boil the tomatoes. Squeeze the tomatoes with your hands into 3 1/2 cups water with the tamarind, turmeric, salt and jaggery. Boil until the tomatoes are soft and the tamarind no longer smells raw.
3. Add the pepper. Stir in the pepper-garlic paste and half the coriander. Lower the heat and let it rise to a froth; don't let it boil hard, or the pepper turns bitter.
4. Temper. Heat the oil, crackle the mustard seeds, then add the red chillies, curry leaves and asafoetida. Pour over the rasam and cover.
5. Serve. Add the rest of the coriander. Drink it hot from a cup, or pour it over rice with a little ghee.

Tips

Rasam is best made just before the meal. If it tastes harsh, it boiled too long after the pepper went in; a pinch more jaggery helps.