Every home cook must have a good rasam recipe under their belt. This light, tangy and spicy south Indian dish is usually served as a main dish with rice and potato curry. But my favorite way of serving it is in cups, like a soup, along with some crisp potato chips. Perfectly warming for a cold day!
There are probably as many rasam recipes as there are cooks. Everyone does it differently. And you can flavor the rasam with a number of things, not just garlic. For variation try Chef In You’s lemon rasam, or Mahanandi’s coriander rasam, or my grandmother’s killer pineapple rasam.
Garlic Rasam Recipe
serves about 4
Ingredients for Rasam Masala
6-8 garlic cloves with skin on
8 curry leaves
1 red chili
3/4 tablespoon black pepper corns
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
Method
1.Using the back of a wooden spoon, crush each garlic clove and set aside.
2.Coarsley grind everything else, except garlic. Mix the ground masala with garlic (skin an all) and set aside.
Ingredients for Rasam
a small gooseberry sized ball of tamarind (about 1 tablespoon)
2 small tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon oil or ghee
1 red chili, broken
a few curry leaves
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon urad dal
a pinch of asafetida
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
Method
1. Mix and dissolve the tamarind in 2 cups of water. Then strain and extract the water.
2. Place tomatoes in a bowl, and either using your hands or a potato masher, mash and squish the tomatoes till a coarse pulp forms.
3. Place the tamarind water, add tomatoes in a saucepan, and boil for 5 minutes.
4. While its boiling, heat oil in another saucepan and add the chili, curry leaf, mustard seeds, urad dal and asafetida. Stir till fragrant and the mustard seeds pop.
5. Add in the rasam masala. Stir 15 seconds.
6. Add tamarind tomato water, salt, plus 2 cups water.
7. Cook on medium-high. As soon as the rasam starts to foam and just before it comes to a boil, turn it off.
8. If you want a clear rasam, you can strain it at this point, but straining is optional.
9. Garnish with cilantro and serve with steamed rice or in cups, as soup.
Even my hubby and son empty garlic Rasam before it reaches the dinning table…tomato is one extra addition in your version…shall add to my rasam and feel the taste.
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I would love a bowl of rasam during this weather….
I absolutely adore the props..Love them !!!
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Heavenly! I’m a big fan or garlicky foods…
Cheers,
Rosa
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Looks delicious! I plan to try this today. I’ve never added garlic to my rasam. Is there a reason you leave the skin on though?
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Spring is trying to break through here, Sala, but in the lingering cool weather and winds, this would be a very warming dish.
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This sounds like the perfect remedy for the common cold. I’ll keep the recipe in my medicine cupboard!!
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Well I am glad and happy to know that u enjoyed the rasam with Potato Chips
i have done the same n no of times 
it has a unique taste irrespective of our Rasam is awesome ! Did u try the rasam using the Lead vessel (In Tamil it is “Eeyachombu “) If not Pls try in that
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This sounds delish! Never heard of Rasam before. Thanks for the introduction Sala.
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my fav..looks delicious…nice clicks
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I love garlic and this looks very comforting.
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Nice to see your post after long time. I’m a big fan of your site. I’d like to just sip this only sounds like a great appetizer. I’m gonna make this one.
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looks so delicious.. i always thought rasam requires a good amount of dal, but this is mainly water. no wonder it’s so light. i still need to figure out how to work with real tamarind balls.
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Its my all time favourite, I make pepper and tomato rasam when i am under the weather…. i will try your recipe next..
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i like rasam very much…bt never heard of garlic rasam…its looking delicious….
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Hi there. The current Food on Friday on Carole’s Chatter is collecting links to dishes using garlic. I do hope you link this in. This is the link . Please do check out some of the other links – there are a lot of good ones already. Cheers
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I love garlic rasam and regardless of what else goes in to it…tamarind, garlic, pepper,jeera curry leaves…it tastes great drinking it piping hot with hot rice and a little ghee….add a potato fry and my day is made…heavenly!
Love your little kadai!
Shobha
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Thank you for this amazing sounding recipe!
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Definitely a recipe for my winter files
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Lovely recipe and pots. Awesome photos as always! Thanks for sharing that delish dinner idea!
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A unique take to rasam. I’ve never had garlic rasam before, but this is something I need to try! Thanks for sharing
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AMAZING! I love garlic so I’m definitely trying this
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Hi! Long time reader and first time commenter here. Just wanted to say that I love your recipes and blog. I actually bought S&B Oriental Curry powder based on your suggestion and whipped up a stir fry recipe that I posted on my blog, http://champagneandkajal.wordpress.com/2013/04/11/stir-fried-curry-broccoli-recipe/. Thanks for the inspiration!
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I really like tasty rasam which is one of my favorite Indian food. Rasam has something unique flavor and taste like everyday food but not being tired of.
It reminds me of one of Korean foods(clear soup made of Korean soybean paste), so I like it since my first visit in India.
I will try your recipe soon, thanks!
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Good Yaki,
Thanks for the delicious rasam.
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A bowl of this is all we need for every meal, delicious!
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Oooh garlic rasam, that looks amazing. Love your food styling too!
Best,
Chitra
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Indian food is healthy and tasty! Indian food is the best in the whole world!
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The taste of garlic is surely appetizing, but I wonder if I could find tamarind here in the US. We don’t have an Asian shop readily accessible in our neighborhood.
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