Smita Chandra’s Rasam (Spicy Tamarind Soup)

Name: Smita Chandra's Rasam (Spicy Tamarind Soup)
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients: 2 tbsp. toor dal (yellow pigeon peas), rinsed, soaked 30 minutes, and drained; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. ground turmeric; 6 plum tomatoes, chopped; Kosher salt, to taste; 2 tsp. rasam powder; 2 tsp. tamarind paste; 1 tsp. ground black pepper; 1 tsp. ground coriander; 1 tsp. ground cumin; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. red chile powder, such as cayenne; 2 tbsp. canola oil; 1 ⁄ 4 tsp. black mustard seeds; 1 ⁄ 4 tsp. cumin seeds; 1 ⁄ 4 tsp. fenugreek seeds; 15 fresh or frozen curry leaves; 2 chiles de árbol, stemmed; 2 cloves garlic, minced

Serves
serves 4

INGALLS PHOTOGRAPHY

Spicy Tamarind Soup

Tamarind—aks Indian date—contributes a sweet-and-sour flavor that pairs well with aromatic rasam powder, a toasted blend of dal, chiles and spices.

Rasam powder—a toasted blend of chana dal, chiles, and whole spices—combines with curry leaves, chiles, and a host of other spices in this peppery south Indian soup, a staple of the January harvest festival known as Pongal. This recipe, which comes to us from cookbook author and cooking instructor Smita Chandra, first appeared in our August/September 2014 special India issue with VK Sreelash's story Cooking Cousins.

Find this recipe in our cookbook, SAVEUR: Soups and Stews

Ingredients

2 tbsp. toor dal (yellow pigeon peas), rinsed, soaked 30 minutes, and drained
¹⁄₂ tsp. ground turmeric
6 plum tomatoes, chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
2 tsp. rasam powder
2 tsp. tamarind paste
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
¹⁄₂ tsp. red chile powder, such as cayenne
2 tbsp. canola oil
¹⁄₄ tsp. black mustard seeds
¹⁄₄ tsp. cumin seeds
¹⁄₄ tsp. fenugreek seeds
15 fresh or frozen curry leaves
2 chiles de árbol, stemmed
2 cloves garlic, minced

Instructions

Step 1

Bring dal, turmeric, tomatoes, salt, and 5 cups water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until dal is mushy, about 45 minutes. Stir in rasam powder, tamarind paste, black pepper, coriander, cumin, and chile powder; cook 5 minutes. Heat oil in an 8" skillet over medium-high. Cook mustard, cumin, and fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, and chiles de árbol until seeds pop, 1–2 minutes. Add garlic; cook until golden, 3–4 minutes, and stir into soup.

Bring dal, turmeric, tomatoes, salt, and 5 cups water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until dal is mushy, about 45 minutes. Stir in rasam powder, tamarind paste, black pepper, coriander, cumin, and chile powder; cook 5 minutes. Heat oil in an 8" skillet over medium-high. Cook mustard, cumin, and fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, and chiles de árbol until seeds pop, 1–2 minutes. Add garlic; cook until golden, 3–4 minutes, and stir into soup.