Paruppu Rasam (Dal Rasam)

Paruppu rasam is a simple South Indian lentil soup from Tamil cuisine. Cooked toor dal is simmered into a tamarind and tomato broth with a coarsely crushed masala of garlic, ginger, pepper, and cumin. No rasam powder needed. It is thin, tangy, and warming, best served over hot steamed rice with a spoon of ghee.

Course Main Course

Cuisine South Indian, Tamilnadu

Keyword dal rasam, paruppu rasam, rasam rice recipe

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 196kcal

Author Puja

Equipment

Ingredients

For Corse Masala

5 garlic cloves
1/2 inch ginger
1/2 onion
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black pepper or to taste

For Tempering

2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp urad dal
5 dry red chillies
Pinch of hing
Few curry leaves
1/2 tsp methi dana

Other Ingredients

2 large tomatoes finely chopped
Coriander leaves roughly chopped
Salt to taste
Tamarind pulp from lemon-sized tamarind
1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
1/2 cup cooked toor dal mashed
Hot water as needed
Few curry leaves roughly chopped
1 green chilli slit
1 tbsp jaggery

Instructions

In a mortar and pestle, coarsely crush the garlic, ginger, onion, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and black pepper. Set aside.
Heat oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add urad dal and cook until light golden.
Add dry red chillies, hing, curry leaves, and methi dana. Let everything crackle for 30 seconds.
Add the coarsely crushed masala. Cook on low flame for 1 minute until the raw smell of garlic goes away.
Add chopped tomatoes, coriander leaves, and salt. Cook until tomatoes are soft and oil separates.
Add tamarind pulp and Kashmiri red chilli powder. Bring to a full boil.
Add mashed toor dal and enough hot water to reach a thin, pourable consistency. Stir to combine.
Add coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chilli, and jaggery.
Bring to one full boil and switch off the flame.
Cover and rest for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Crush the masala coarsely, a smooth paste changes the texture and flavour of the finished rasam.

Rest time is important. The rasam tastes noticeably different after 30 minutes.

If the rasam thickens after resting, stir in a little hot water before serving.

Adjust jaggery to taste, add more if the rasam is too sour.

Kashmiri red chilli powder is for colour. For more heat, increase the black pepper or add another green chilli.

Nutrition