Tur Dal Rasam
2025-03-06- Cuisine: Indian
- Course: Main Course
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Yield : 500 ml
- Servings : 2
- Prep Time : 10m
- Cook Time : 15m
- Ready In : 34m
I did not grow up eating Rasam-Rice, but as an adult, it has become my ultimate comfort food—a dish I turn to when I crave something simple, nourishing, and full of flavors. There’s something incredibly soothing about its warm, spiced aroma filling the kitchen, wrapping around me like a familiar embrace.
Yesterday, as I prepared a pot of tur dal Rasam for dinner, the fragrance of simmering lentils, tomatoes, tamarind, and aromatic spices made me pause and appreciate the beauty of such an unassuming dish. It is light yet satisfying, tangy yet subtly rich, with just the right amount of heat from crushed black pepper, and green chilies and the depth of a good tempering in ghee.
This version of Rasam is my personal favorite because it brings together the heartiness of tur dal with the tang of tomatoes and tamarind pulp, creating a perfect balance of flavors. A generous bowlful poured over steaming hot rice, paired with crispy papad, is all I need to feel comforted, nourished, and at home—no matter where I am.
Ingredients
- Cooked Tur Dal 1 cup
- Tomatoes 2 chopped
- Green chilies 1 (optional)
- Garlic 2-3 cloves
- Ginger 1 tsp grated
- Curry leaves 5-7 sprigs
- Dried Red Chilli -1
- Tamarind pulp 2 tbsp
- Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
- Asafoetida 1/4 tsp
- mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
- Crushed black pepper 1/2 tsp
- Rasam powder 1 tbsp (optional)
- Ghee 2 tbsp
- Salt to taste
Method
Step 1
In a mixer jar grind tomato, ginger, garlic, 2 sprigs of curry leaves, tamarind pulp, turmeric and green chili if using.
Step 2
Heat a pan, add 300 ml water and add to it the ground tomato mixture and allow everything to come to a boil. Keep the flame low and allow it to boil for 10-12 minutes or till everything is well cooked.
Step 3
Strain the boiled mix and save the liquid.
Step 4
In the same pan, add the strained liquid and add to it Rasam powder, black pepper powder and turn on the flame. As soon as it starts boiling add to it cooked tur dal and adjust the consistency by adding more water (it needs to be thin and runny, not thick). Add salt and taste the rasam for heat, sourness and salt - adjust as needed.
Step 5
For tempering, in a small pan take ghee and as soon as it heats up add to it mustard seeds, asafoetida and crushed garlic. As soon as garlic turns light pink, add a few curry leaves and dried red chili.
Step 6
Pour the tempering over hot rasam, and garnish it with chopped coriander.
Serving Suggestion
Tur Dal Rasam can be had as a soup also, but I prefer to serve it with a plate of steamed rice with crispy fried rice or potato papad on the side.