By Rajlakshmi
March 13, 2026
Apart from its delicious taste, tomato rasam offers numerous health benefits. It aids digestion, thanks to the presence of spices like cumin, coriander, and asafoetida. Here’s the recipe.
1 medium-sized tomato, chopped 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp ¼ cup toor dal (pigeon peas), cooked and mashed 2 cups water ½ teaspoon turmeric powder 1 teaspoon rasam powder ½ teaspoon black pepper powder 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed A small piece of ginger, grated 1 green chilli, slit Few curry leaves
1 tablespoon ghee or oil Salt to taste Fresh coriander leaves for garnish 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, for tempering 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, for tempering ½ teaspoon asafoetida or hing, for tempering 2 dry red chilies, for tempering 1 tablespoon ghee or oil, for tempering
In a saucepan, add the chopped tomatoes, tamarind pulp, water, turmeric powder, rasam powder, black pepper powder.
Add cumin seeds, crushed garlic, grated ginger, green chilli, and curry leaves. Cook the mixture on medium heat until the tomatoes are mushy.
Stir occasionally. Add the mashed toor dal and mix well. Add salt to taste. Allow the rasam to simmer on low heat for about 5-7 minutes.
In a separate small pan, heat ghee or oil for tempering. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them splutter.
Add asafoetida or hing and dry red chilies to the tempering pan. Fry for a few seconds.
Pour the tempering mixture into the rasam and give it a quick stir. Turn off the heat.
Garnish the rasam with fresh coriander leaves. It can be enjoyed as a soup or mixed with steamed rice or served with papad.