Tomato rasam recipe | Tomato charu recipe | Rasam recipes

• 2 cups tomatoes chopped ripe & red
• 3 cups water (can use more to make thin charu)
• 2 tsps rasam powder (adjust to suit your taste)
• 1½ tbsp ghee or clarified butter oil or
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• ½ tsp mustard
• ¾ tsp cumin or jeera
• Pinch fenugreek seeds or methi seeds
• Pinch asafoetida or hing
• 1 red chili broken
• 1/8 tsp turmeric or haldi
• 1 tbsp jaggery (optional but recommended)

optional

• 2 cloves garlic
• ¼ tsp pepper powder
• 1 tsp tamarind or ¾ tsp. tamarind paste

Instant rasam powder ingredients or use any ready made

• 1 to 3 broken red chili
• 1 ½ tbsp chana dal (optional, use if you like slightly thick charu)
• 1 ½ tbsp coriander seeds or daniya
• 1 tsp cumin or jeera
• ½ to 1 tsp pepper

Making rasam powder

1. Skip this step if you have ready powder. To make instant powder, dry roast chana dal till golden. Then add coriander seeds, red chili and pepper corn too. Switch off the stove. Add cumin to the hot pan. Cool them and make a fine powder.Keep this aside.

Making tomato rasam

1. Heat a pot with oil. Add cumin, mustard and fenugreek seeds. When they begin to splutter, add red chili and hing.
2. Add curry leaves and fry for a min.
3. Add finely chopped ripe tomatoes, salt and turmeric. Salt helps to cook tomatoes faster.
4. Fry the tomatoes for about 2 minutes. Cover and cook.
5. Tomatoes should turn mushy and soft. Add the rasam powder and jaggery. Then mix well.
6. Pour water. If you wish you can crush 2 garlic cloves and add it.
7. Bring it to a boil. Taste it and adjust salt. 
8. Wash little tamarind and add it to the pot. You can even add tamarind paste if you have. Check sourness as well now.
9. Allow it to boil well for about 3 to 5 minutes on a medium flame. Tomato rasam has to turn slightly thick. 
10. Add coriander leaves, stalks and pepper powder.
11. Turn off the stove. Keep the pot covered.
12. Serve tomato rasam with rice.