Tomato and Dal Rasam

A delicious and comforting warm soup; this soul soother Tomato Dal Rasam is great for cold days.

Slightly sweet, more spicy and tangy; this combination of spices and dal yields a super flavorful broth.

Comforting soups are perfect for any cold evening. Sip it to warm the throat or dunk some delicious vadas or idlis in it to enjoy.

Yes, I am talking about Rasam a popular Indian spiced dal soup. This warm soup is great for those under the weather or even those who want a soothing recipe.

There are several styles of rasam; most of them have their names derived from the star ingredient in it. The word 'Rasam' means juice is Tamil and Telugu. It is the juice of tomatoes and tamarind that are flavored, tempered and served as a soup.

What is Tomato Dal Rasam

This rasam is a delicious soothing soup that is made with toor dal and tomatoes. We love this in cutting glasses as a drink or soup. Plus, it is great for enjoying some vadas or idlis. And the combination of steamed rice, this tomato dal rasam and ghee is simply heavenly!

Like most rasam recipes, we use pantry essentials to bring this together. We need some basic Indian spices, cooked dal and rasam powder to make this easy recipe.

Whether you are making it from scratch or using leftover boiled dal, this rasam is wonderful through the cold days.

This Recipe of Tomato Dal Rasam

• Is super easy and quick. Ready in under 30 minutes, this recipe yields a family size portion.
• This rasam is pantry friendly and uses only a couple of refrigerated ingredients like tomatoes and curry leaves. However, if we use canned tomatoes, the recipe can be made with ingredients straight from the pantry.
• A comforting soup that is perfect for cold days, this is so good when you have a cold. Alternatively, dunk idlis or vadas and enjoy a complete meal with some coconut or tomato chutney.
• Made in just one pot, this recipe is great for meal prep. It stays well for 3-4 days when refrigerated and can be warmed up before serving.

This recipe is the one my mom learnt from our neighbor. They made their own rasam powder but we have been making it with store bought rasam powder and it has been great.

This recipe has been a favorite in our families and among friends. It is so often that I make steamed idlis and serve them with rasam. It is a great way to enjoy a meal. Plus, when served with steamed rice and ghee; it is a comfort meal after indulging in festive treats or holiday recipes.

Video Recipe

Ingredients

Dal: Toor dal is the base for the recipe. I like to pressure cook mine with some salt and turmeric.

Any way that you cook it, make sure the dal is cooked well and not grainy. This is important for smooth texture in the rasam.

Tomatoes: To add sourness and tang we use diced tomatoes. Ripe red tomatoes are best to use in the recipe. Thus, these are undisputedly the star of the spicy soup.

Ginger Chili Paste: I like to add some spice with ginger and chili paste. However, skip it for a non-spicy version. Or add diced chili and grated ginger.

Jaggery: To add sweetness I like to use jaggery as a sweetener. However sugar can work well too.

Tamarind Paste: Tamarind is almost like a compulsive ingredient in the recipe. It is great to balance the sweetness and spice with the right amount of tang. Thus it is found in most variations of rasam.

However, using fresh tamarind is an option too. If using tamarind is an absolute no, add some extra lemon juice.

Rasam Masala: Store bought rasam powder is the best way to get all the spices in at once. I like to use this one.

However, there are several recipes to make the masala at home too.

Spices: As we add rasam powder to the recipe we do not need a lot of other spices.

I add salt and turmeric powder only.

Tempering: Tempered in coconut oil or regular, this step will enhance the flavor of rasam like no other.

To temper I add mustard seeds, urad dal, asafetida, cumin seeds, curry leaves and green chili.

Several recipes start with the tempering and then add another tempering too. However, I just add one tempering at the end.

Step by Step Instructions to make Tomato Dal Rasam

1- In a thick pan add water. Add diced tomatoes, jaggery and tamarind paste.

2- Bring the water to a boil. Then add cooked dal, ginger chili paste, turmeric and salt.

3- Then boil the dal mix for 5-10 minutes, stirring intermittently.

4- In a pan add oil and heat it. Add urad dal and let it turn brown.

5- Then add mustard seeds, asafetida, cumin seeds, red or green chili and curry leaves. Once the seeds pop, turn down the heat.

6- Then add rasam masala on the cooking dal.

7- Then transfer the tempering on the masala and mix well.

8- Let the rasam cook for a couple of minutes, then turn down the flame.

9- Finally sprinkle cilantro on top and let the rasam sit for a few minutes.

10- Enjoy warm!

Tips and Notes

• Do not boil rasam a lot after adding the rasam powder. Let it cook till frothy and then turn down the flame. A lot of recipes call for adding some cold water after turning down the heat to stop cooking the rasam further.
• Don't have rasam powder? Easily replace it with sambar powder and ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder and ½ teaspoon cumin powder.
• Tamarind is the best ingredient to add tang to the recipe. I would strongly not recommend skipping it. Fresh tamarind or paste works well here.
• The rasam works really well as part of meal prep. In order to reheat the rasam, boil for a minute or two and enjoy warm.

More South Indian recipes to try

• Instant Pot Quinoa Bisibelebath: An easy to make breakfast or meal recipe; Bisibelebath quinoa is a mix of lentil, quinoa and vegetables with Indian spices. It is quick and easy to make in the Instant Pot!  
• Instant Rava Idlis: This quick and easy idli recipe uses rava or semolina and a host of other ingredients. It is great for breakfast and a meal.
• Quinoa Idli: A twist to the classic, these idlis are made with quinoa as the star ingredient. However, no one will ever figure out of you do not tell them! Enjoy with sambar and chutneys of your choice.

The recipe was originally published in 2014, updated in 2022.