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South Indian · Indian

Tomato rasam

Vegetarian

ரசம் · racam

A thin, peppery South Indian soup of tomato and tamarind spiced with cumin, black pepper and garlic. Sipped on its own or poured over rice.

Tomato rasam is a South Indian soup, ready in about 55 minutes and made with tomato, tamarind paste and black pepper. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Rasam is a south indian soup
Representative photo. Miansari66 / Wikimedia Commons · public-domain
Prep
10 min
Cook
45 min
Total
55 min
Serves
4
Level
Beginner
Calories
87

Plus 30 minutes soaking the dal.

Ingredients

4 servings

For the tempering

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Simmer the drained dal in 300 ml of the water, partly covered, until completely soft and mushy (or pressure-cook for 3–4 whistles), then whisk to a smooth liquid.

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Coarsely crush the pepper (opens in a new tab), cumin (opens in a new tab), coriander and garlic (opens in a new tab) in a mortar.

    Garlic being minced with a knife
    How it looks · Photo: RDNE Stock project on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    In another pan, simmer the tomatoes (opens in a new tab), tamarind, turmeric (opens in a new tab), salt and remaining water for 8 minutes until the raw tamarind smell is gone. Add the crushed spices and the dal liquid.

    • 9 min
    • medium heat

  4. Step 4

    Heat gently until it froths up, then turn off the heat just before it boils.

    • 2 min
    • medium-low heat

    Boiling rasam hard after the spices go in dulls its aroma.

  5. Step 5

    Heat the ghee (opens in a new tab), pop the mustard seeds (opens in a new tab), add chilli, curry leaves (opens in a new tab) and asafoetida (opens in a new tab), pour over the rasam and add coriander.

    • 1 min
    • medium heat

About this dish

Origin
Tamil Nadu / South India, Tamil Nadu, India · Well documentedAlso popular in Sri LankaMore food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Soups
Cooking method
Boiled, Simmered
Taste
peppery, tangy, sour, aromatic / warmly spiced
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat
With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Budget-friendly · One-pot
Cook more with
Tomato · Tamarind paste · Toor dal (split pigeon peas) · Cumin · Ground coriander · Garlic
Techniques
Boiling · Simmering · Pressure cooking

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom ghee
  • May contain: Wheatfrom asafoetida
  • May contain: Glutenfrom asafoetida
  • Contains: Mustardfrom mustard seeds

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

87 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 338 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 14%
  • Carbohydrate 58%
  • Fat 29%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy87 kcal26 kcal
Protein3.2 g0.9 g
Carbohydrate13.7 g4 g
Net carbohydrate10.6 g3.1 g
Sugars4.2 g1.2 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre3.1 g0.9 g
Fat3 g0.9 g
Saturated fat1.5 g0.4 g
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol6 mg2 mg
Sodium742 mg219 mg
Salt equivalent1.9 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
407 mg
Calcium
65 mg
Iron
1.5 mg
Magnesium
40 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
64 µg
Vitamin C
14 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
50 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): curry leaves, asafoetida.
  • Tamarind paste: Raw tamarind pulp (FDC 167763). Commercial concentrates vary in water content.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • For a quick plain rasam, skip the lentils entirely.

Common mistakes

  • Boiling the rasam hard after the spices go in — it loses its aroma.

Serve with

  • Pour over steamed rice with a vegetable side, or sip from a cup.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently without boiling hard.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 3

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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