If you love the South Indian rasam, then give this easy Paruppu rasam recipe a try! This rasam is made with tamarind and ground lentils. Make it in 30 minutes and serve it with rice.
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What is Rasam
Rasam is a South Indian broth made with tamarind, lentils, and a few special spices. It is thinner than soup and has a broth-like consistency. It is tangy and sometimes spicy to taste. For us South Indians, this is our vegetarian "Chicken Soup for the Soul". Comfort food it is!
We can have it every day if given a chance. We also have it when we are sick because it's nutritious, rich in protein, easy to digest, and helps heal quickly. It tastes best when served hot and is very easy to make. There are many variations to making it and each state, region, and family has its way of making it.
Sharing one of my family versions
As a family, we have many rasam recipes that we make in rotation. Today I sharing with you this variation called Paruppu Rasam also known as Arachuvitta Rasam. Paruppu means lentils in Tamil. This rasam is a little different because it does not require you to boil the lentils prior. Instead, you need to soak and then grind it.
It is my mom's sister's recipe which she learned from her MIL. The process is slightly different from the ones I have made before but the flavors are right on point. I prefer this thick consistency of rasam because it's easy to mix with rice and that is the way we eat it.
Why make this
- This paruppu rasam is thicker than the traditional rasam
- It is prepared in a tamarind broth
- You can eat it with rice or drink it as a soup
- It's vegan
- Can be made with basic ingredients
- Made without onion and garlic
Ingredients needed 🧾
Lentils - tur dal and chana dal are the two kinds of unpolished lentils needed in this recipe. You can easily find them in Indian grocery stores and on Amazon.
Tamarind - I prefer using the ready tamarind pulp or extract as it's just more convenient. You can also use tamarind in its original form. If doing so, you will need to soak a lemon-sized ball of tamarind in hot water for 10 minutes and then squeeze out the juice by pressing it between your palms.
Rasam powder - a spice mix made with different roasted lentils and red chillies is a crucial ingredient in this recipe. Mine is homemade, but here are some brands that are good as well - 777 Madras Rasam Powder, 24 Mantra Organic Rasam Powder, and Aachi Rasam Powder.
Herbs and veggies - cilantro and tomatoes are synonymous with rasam. Tomatoes give it a tangy flavor along with tamarind and cilantro give it an aromatic flavor.
Spices - dried red chillies, curry leaves, ginger, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, asafoetida/hing, coriander powder, and cumin powder are some basic spices that you will need.
Apart from these ingredients, you will also need vegan ghee to make this delicious paruppu rasam.
How to make it 🔪
To make the lentil paste
- Soak chana dal and tur dal (together) for about 40 minutes. Drain the water.
- Grind the lentils along with red chillies, ginger, tomatoes, cilantro, curry leaves, and salt, coarsely. Add ¼ cup water while grinding.
To make the Rasam
- Add 1 and a half cups of water, tamarind pulp, rasam powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, asafoetida, and salt to a stockpot. Cook it on medium flame. Bring this to a boil.
- Dilute the lentil paste by adding 1 cup of water. Mix well so that there are no lumps.
- Add this to the pot. Cook it on medium. Adjust the consistency as per your preference by adding 1-2 cups of water.
- When it just starts to boil and become frothy, take it off the flame. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
To make the tadka
- In a tadka pan, add vegan ghee and fry dried red chillies, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds.
- Pour this over the rasam. Mix it well. Cover and set it aside.
Serving suggestions 🍽
Paruppu Rasam is popularly served hot with steamed rice and some curry or Poriyal on the side. However, you can also enjoy it as a soup. It's tangy, spicy, and very flavorful! We also like to mix it with curd rice and eat it. Rasam is also served with certain South Indian snacks like idli, dosa, Wada, Pongal, etc. If you love soups, then don't forget to check out my Tomato Soup and Broccoli Soup recipes.
What pairs best with rasam rice
- Potato Curry
- Plantains Fry
- Avial
- Idli
- Medu Vada
- Rava Dosa
- Ven Pongal
- Some fried papad or chips
Top recipe tips 💭
There are certain tips to make rasam perfect every time. The whole thing about making rasam right is in the timing. You need to know when to turn off the gas. Overcooking the rasam takes away the taste. So you need to be alert and careful. When you see the froth on top after the first boil, that is your cue to take it off the gas. Also, using good quality rasam powder is crucial to the recipe. We only use homemade rasam powder. I have used vegan ghee in this recipe but if you are not following a vegan lifestyle, use regular ghee.
Recipe FAQs 📖
If you do not have rasam powder handy, then you can use a mix of 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili powder, 2 teaspoon coriander powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, and ¼ teaspoon pepper powder. Some also use Sambhar powder instead to make this South Indian tamarind rasam.
In the refrigerator, you can store rasam for 3-4 days. In the freezer, it stays good for a month. If it's turned thick, add some water to dilute it and bring it to a boil.
More South Indian recipes
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Recipe 📖
Paruppu Rasam | Tamarind Lentil Soup
Ingredients
To make the lentil paste
- ¼ cup tur dal
- ¼ cup chana dal
- 1-2 tomatoes
- 2 dried red chillies
- ½ inch ginger
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 5-6 curry leaves
- ¼ cup water
To make the Rasam
- 2 tablespoon tamarind pulp
- 2 tablespoon rasam powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida/hing
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 ½ cups water
- Salt
- 2 tablespoon cilantro
To make the tadka
- 2 teaspoon vegan ghee
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1-2 dried red chillies
Instructions
To make the lentil paste
- Soak chana dal and tur dal (together) for about 30 minutes. Drain the water.
- Grind the lentils along with red chillies, ginger, tomatoes, cilantro, curry leaves and salt, coarsely. Add ¼ cup water while grinding.
To make the Rasam
- Add 1 and a half cup of water, tamarind pulp, rasam powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, asafoetida and salt to a pot. Cook it on medium flame. Bring this to a boil.
- Dilute the lentil paste by adding 1 cup of water. Mix well so that there are no lumps.
- Add this to the pot. Cook it on medium. Adjust the consistency as per your preference by adding 1-2 more cups of water.
- When it just starts to boil and become frothy, take it off the flame. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
To make the tadka
- In a tadka pan, add vegan ghee and fry dried red chillies, mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
- Pour this over the rasam. Mix it well. Cover and set it aside.
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Notes
Nutrition
FOOD HEAL says
This look mesmerizing
Priya says
Thank you so much