WHAT IS ' Rasam '?
Rasam is a dish that originates from the south of India,
but has since become common all over India.
It was said that the soup originally had tamarind and
pepper as its primary ingredients, as these were once
plentiful in South India.
Some versions of the soup even use whole cane sugar,
or jaggery, to get a sweeter taste.
It is a South Indian soup traditionally prepared using
tamarind juice as a base, with the addition of tomato,
and chili pepper, pepper, cumin and other spices as
seasonings. Steamed lentils are added along with any
preferred vegetables.
So another primary ingredient of the rasam is lentils,
or “dal” in India. The lentils give the dish body and texture
and are sometimes used to cut off some of the sourness or the spiciness of the soup. Rasam being a vegetarian soup, so different green vegetables can be added, such as leaves of curry, coriander, and cilantro.
Nowadays all the seasonings required are combined and ground beforehand into a rasam powder, which is available commercially.
It is eaten with rice or separately as soup. In a traditional meal, it is preceded by a sambar rice course and is followed by curd rice. Rasam has a distinct taste in comparison to the sambar due to its own seasoning ingredients and is usually fluid in consistency.
There are different kinds of rasam, varying by ingredient,
like Tomato rasam, Lemon Rasam, Pepper rasam, Neem flower rasam, Ginger rasam, Garlic Rasam, Pineapple Rasam.
There are Regional varieties of rasam like
Thakkali Rasam with tomato puree as main ingredient.
Poondu Rasam is a healthy rasam made with Garlic.
Inji Rasam also a healthy rasam made with Ginger.
Mudakathan Rasam a healthy green leaf rasam made
with Balloon Vine.
Lemon Rasam is a sour soup made with lemon juice.
Nellikkai Rasam also sour soup made with Indian Gooseberry. Murungai Poo Rasam a healthy rasam made with Drumstick flower.
Vepam Poo Rasam a healthy rasam made with Neem flower.
Rasam provides many health benefits, such as a good dose of vitamin C from the acidic fruits, and vitamin A from tomatoes.
The leafy green vegetables supply fiber, folic acid, and magnesium, while the tamarind is said to aid proper digestion
and lower cholesterol. The lentils in the soup also provide protein, especially for people who are not getting enough protein from meat.
A South Indian meal would not be complete without the perfect sambar or rasam!
Rasam is a dish that originates from the south of India,
but has since become common all over India.
It was said that the soup originally had tamarind and
pepper as its primary ingredients, as these were once
plentiful in South India.
Some versions of the soup even use whole cane sugar,
or jaggery, to get a sweeter taste.
It is a South Indian soup traditionally prepared using
tamarind juice as a base, with the addition of tomato,
and chili pepper, pepper, cumin and other spices as
seasonings. Steamed lentils are added along with any
preferred vegetables.
So another primary ingredient of the rasam is lentils,
or “dal” in India. The lentils give the dish body and texture
and are sometimes used to cut off some of the sourness or the spiciness of the soup. Rasam being a vegetarian soup, so different green vegetables can be added, such as leaves of curry, coriander, and cilantro.
Nowadays all the seasonings required are combined and ground beforehand into a rasam powder, which is available commercially.
It is eaten with rice or separately as soup. In a traditional meal, it is preceded by a sambar rice course and is followed by curd rice. Rasam has a distinct taste in comparison to the sambar due to its own seasoning ingredients and is usually fluid in consistency.
There are different kinds of rasam, varying by ingredient,
like Tomato rasam, Lemon Rasam, Pepper rasam, Neem flower rasam, Ginger rasam, Garlic Rasam, Pineapple Rasam.
There are Regional varieties of rasam like
Thakkali Rasam with tomato puree as main ingredient.
Poondu Rasam is a healthy rasam made with Garlic.
Inji Rasam also a healthy rasam made with Ginger.
Mudakathan Rasam a healthy green leaf rasam made
with Balloon Vine.
Lemon Rasam is a sour soup made with lemon juice.
Nellikkai Rasam also sour soup made with Indian Gooseberry. Murungai Poo Rasam a healthy rasam made with Drumstick flower.
Vepam Poo Rasam a healthy rasam made with Neem flower.
Rasam provides many health benefits, such as a good dose of vitamin C from the acidic fruits, and vitamin A from tomatoes.
The leafy green vegetables supply fiber, folic acid, and magnesium, while the tamarind is said to aid proper digestion
and lower cholesterol. The lentils in the soup also provide protein, especially for people who are not getting enough protein from meat.
A South Indian meal would not be complete without the perfect sambar or rasam!
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