By Aditi Saraswat
August 24, 2026
When monsoon rain makes the throat scratchy and irritated, nothing can feel as comforting as a hot bowl of tomato pepper rasam. This tangy tomato broth gets its warmth from the use of crushed pepper, cumin and garlic, making it a relaxing rainy-day meal.
3 medium ripe tomatoes 1 tsp black peppercorns 1 tsp cumin seeds 3 garlic cloves, crushed ½ tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp tamarind paste ½ tsp mustard seeds 1 dried red chilli 8–10 curry leaves 1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped 1 tsp oil 2 cups water Salt to taste
Boil tomatoes until they turn soft, let them cool a bit, and then mash nicely. Blend with water, turmeric, tamarind and salt to make a thin puree.
Coarsely crush some peppercorns, cumin and garlic together. Keep the mixture a bit coarse so that they release their fragrance while boiling.
In a pan, simmer the prepared tomato puree for about 8 to 10 minutes until the raw smell vanishes thoroughly.
Heat oil and add mustard seeds, dried red chilli, and curry leaves to it. Let them crackle and then pour this over the simmering rasam.
Switch off the flame, sprinkle some chopped coriander and serve piping hot with rice or sip it warm as it is.