Ingredients:
- Ripe tomatoes – 3 medium (chopped)
- Tamarind – small lemon-sized (soaked in warm water, extract pulp)
- Green chilli – 1 slit
- Garlic – 4 cloves (optional, for extra flavour)
- Curry leaves – few
- Coriander leaves – handful (chopped)
- Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
- Salt – as needed
- Ghee – 1 tsp
To roast & grind (rasam powder fresh):
- Coriander seeds – 1 tsp
- Black pepper – ½ tsp
- Jeera (cumin seeds) – 1 tsp
- Dry red chilli – 2
- Toor dal – ½ tsp
- Curry leaves – few
For tempering:
- Ghee – 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds – ½ tsp
- Jeera – ½ tsp
- Hing – a pinch
- Curry leaves – few
Preparation Method:
- Roast & Grind Rasam Powder:
In a kadai, dry roast coriander seeds, pepper, jeera, red chilli, toor dal, and curry leaves until golden and aromatic. Cool and grind to a coarse powder. - Prepare Tomato Base:
Crush tomatoes with your hand or blend coarsely. In a vessel, add tomatoes, slit green chilli, garlic (if using), curry leaves, turmeric, salt, and little water. Boil till tomatoes are cooked well and mushy. - Add Tamarind & Spice:
Add tamarind extract and bring to a boil. Now add the freshly ground rasam powder. Add enough water (about 2 cups) to adjust rasam consistency. - Simmer:
Let it foam up (do not boil too long after adding spice powder, rasam should be light and aromatic). - Temper & Finish:
Heat ghee, splutter mustard seeds, jeera, curry leaves, and hing. Pour over rasam. Garnish with coriander leaves.
✨ Taste & Style:
- Kalyana rasam is thin, tangy, peppery, with a strong aroma of freshly ground spices.
- Best served piping hot with rice, or even sipped like soup in a wedding feast.
