Lemon Rasam

Lemon Rasam - one of my favorite rasams - quick and easy to make.

I'm planning to do a complete set of Rasam recipes. Here is the first one to start the collection!

Before you make the rasam, boil about 1/2 cup of Toor Daal.



Chop about 2 tomatoes and blend them. Add a couple of green chillies and blend along with the tomatoes. You don't have to blend the tomatoes, but I like to - that way I can drink the rasam like a soup without having to bite on pieces of tomatoes.


Add the blended puree to a pan. Add salt, hing, and Rasam powder. Let this cook really well. Do not add a lot of water to this at this time.



When the tomato puree is cooking, blend the toor daal that is already boiled. Personally, I don't like pieces of daal - like them all mashed up. Add the daal to the boiling tomato mixture. Do not add too much water at this point. Let this mixture boil really well - maybe about 5- 10 mins.




When its all done, add water now - I added equal quantity of water - almost to the top.


Let this boil again. If you are like me and just like to stand there and watch your rasam and take pictures of it - you will not miss the moment when the rasam overflows! haha -I can't believe it - I was taking pictures and just then my rasam boiled over. Now I have a big mess to clean up!




Switch off stove after about 5 mins.

Now, to a small pan add a spoon of ghee to prepare the tadka. Using ghee is essential here to enhance the flavor of the rasam. It definetly makes a difference. Add mustard seeds, curry leaves and a few pieces of Jeera. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add this to the rasam.


Cut half a lime and squeeze the fresh juice on top of the rasam. Chop a few cilantro leaves and add on top of the rasam.



Enjoy your yummy rasam as a soup or mix it up with rice.