Garlic Rasam

Rasam: Tomato broth with Spices . It is a very common preparation in South India and each region has various versions of it . The basic ingredients are Tomato, Tamarind and some spices . Some prefer to have it as a Soup, where it has the broth like consistency and some like it with rice.

The last week has been bad for me ..It was raining all along and I have caught a cold. Thankfully the two men in the household are up and about and a creating as much of a mess they can with no one to police them. I had a good laugh when another mom from Blu's Class said to me the other day " I would rather my husband or my kid falls sick ..cos if I fall sick the house stops running and it is just chaos".So there I sat, looking almost like Rudolph, with a very red nose (from all the sneezing) and wondering what would help me do away with the sniffles ? The first thing that came to my mind was Rasam.

Before I get to the recipe , I should tell you a little bit about the person who taught me how to make this. I am blessed to have an amazing cook as a very good friend and next-door neighbor. She is my one-stop-rescue-point for convenient Vegetarian ( Tamizh style) cooking. Rasam is an indispensable item in her diet and, me being a constant visitor at her place, I get to savor it every now-and-then. Her garlic-rasam is a little thicker in consistency than the broth and is a great accompaniment with rice.

Prep time :10 min
Cooking time : 15 min
Makes : 4 servings

Ingredients :

• 2 large tomatoes , cut into small pieces
  
• 3 large cloves of garlic , peeled and crushed
  
• 1 tsp of tamarind ( mixed with some water )
  
• Salt to taste
  
• 1 1/2 tsp of Rasam Powder
• 2 cups water
  

For the Seasoning

• 1 tbs cooking oil
  
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
  
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
  
• 1 pinch (1/8 tsp) of asafoetida
• 1 stalk of curry leaves
  

Procedure :

• In a medium pot cook together the tomato , garlic, salt & tamarind* with half cup of water. Keep Covered.
• Once the tomatoes are well cooked , using a heavy spoon , mash up tomatoes in the water.
• Add the rest ( 1 1/2 cups ) of water and let boil for couple of min.
  
• In a small skillet, heat oil .
• Add the mustard seeds . When the mustard seeds start popping , add the cumin seeds , asafoetida & curry leaves and remove from heat.
  
• Add to the tomato broth & mix well .
  

Lifesaver:
*Add the salt and tamarind only in small quantities at a time . Taste in between to see if they are enough. Adjust the quantity accordingly.

Related Recipes : Rasam Powder