What use calling oneself South Indian if one doesnt love Rasam?! Rasam exists in different forms in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana etc etc so lets not even get into the debate of which state it originated from!!
Also I don’t understand people who call Rasam a soup because for me its always been a side dish to plain rice and never a soup…but yes….to each their own!!So whether you like it as a soup or a side dish, the fact is you cant ignore the humble rasam…ya and all this for a fluid that looks like water😂 Hell no ..rasam is way more complicated and intense than its looks….(as they say looks can be deceptive)…. So basically it can be spicy and pungent depending on its ingredients.Most common ingredients are boiled and mashed lentils, tamarind pulp, tomato stock and all kinds of garam masala like chilli powder, cumin,coriander and pepper.
Rasam is mostly served piping hot and it is considered medicinal too especially for common cold and cough. These days you get Rasam powder which makes it super easy to make this otherwise complicated dish. No typical south indian thali or sadya is complete without some Rasam.
Rasam is very similar to its sister Sambhar except for the watery and light consistency.I truly believe its best when had with plain steamed rice (more like Rasamrice). There is a whole list of health benefits attributed to Rasam…cure for constipation,weight loss, beats infections etc etc. Even kids and babies can have rasam included in their diet (ofcourse with mild spice)
There are no fixed ingredients for Rasam, it changes from state to state…and goes with what taste one prefers…!
You can try a hand at Rasam with these Rasam powders-
Organic rasam powder or Karnataka special
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Check out my previous blogposts for this challenge below-
Calling rasam a soup is a brutal damage to it :-). Good one 👍