How To Make Tomato Rasam

Tomato Rasam Recipe. Alfred Prasad, Head chef at Michelin-starred Tamarind in London's Mayfair shows how to make his special Tomato Rasam, a stimulating thin soup of tomatoes flavoured with coriander, garlic and peppercorns. It's a hot South Indian dish that is great with another dish, as a starter, or on its own. Devour our Tomato Rasam recipe.
Step 1:
You will need

* 4 Tomatoes
* 4 tsp split yellow lentils
* ¼ tsp Cumin seeds
* 6 Peppercorns
* 4 Cloves Garlic
* ¼ tsp Red chilli powder
* ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
* to taste Salt
* 1 bunch of Coriander
* 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
* ¼ tsp Mustard seeds
* 1 pinch of Asafoetida
* 4 sprigs of curry leaves
* ½ tsp tomato paste
* 800 ml cold water
* 1 sharp knife
* 2 non-stick pans
* 1 sieve
* 1 cup
* 1 wooden spoon
* 1 pestle and mortar

Step 2:
Lentils
The lentils will form a stock for the tomato soup

Put 4 teaspoons of split yellow lentils, also known as Toor Dal, into a bowl, and pour in some cold water. Swirl them around. This will wash any dust from the lentils. Repeat this a couple of times. Rinse and add to the large saucepan

Add 800ml of cold water, and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 3:
Garlic
Crush 4 cloves of garlic with the flat part of a knife.
Step 4:
Grind
Put the garlic into a mortar. Add a sprinkle of peppercorns and a sprinkle of cumin seeds. Use the pestle and mortar to roughly grind the mix.
Step 5:
Add ingredients
Add 1 tablespoon of oil to a large saucepan over a high heat. Add the garlic, peppercorns, and cumin seeds to the pan and stir for 1 minute. Turn down the heat and leave to simmer.
Step 6:
Coriander
Chop the leaves using a sharp knife, and put the stems to one side.
HANDY HINT
Wash the coriander after you've chopped it. Put the leaves into a bowl of cold water and swirl them around for about 30 seconds. The freshest leaves will float to the top. Remove these from the bowl and leave to drain.
Step 7:
Curry leaves
Turn the heat up. Add three sprigs of curry leaves to the saucepan.
Step 8:
coriander stems
Add the small bunch of coriander stems
Step 9:
Tomatoes
Use a sharp knife to chop 4 tomatoes up into small chunks. Add to the pan. Stir for 30 seconds then reduce heat.
Step 10:
Add lentil stock
Sieve the lentil stock into the pan
Step 11:
Chilli powderand turmeric
Add 1/2 a teaspoon of red chilli powder

Then add 1/2 a teaspoon of turmeric powder, and stir again.

Bring to the boil, then turn it down to simmer for 10 mins.
Step 12:
Simmer
Cover the pan, and leave to simmer for 15 minutes over a low heat, until the tomatoes are soft. Check the pan occasionally, and stir to stop burning.
Step 13:
Tempering
In a separate non-stick pan, heat up 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil on a high flame to start to make a tempering.

Temperings are a combination of spices in oil, added to soups or sauces at the end of cooking to add a final boost of flavour.

After about a minute, when the oil is very hot, add 1/2 of a teaspoon of mustard seeds.

When they start to crackle, add one sprig of curry leaves, and a pinch of asafoetida.

Keep stirring.
Step 14:
Strain
Strain the soup into the tempering. Press down well with a spoon to ease out all the soup. Bring to the boil over a very hot flame.
Step 15:
Tomato Paste
Add half a teaspoon of tomato paste to add some colour
Step 16:
Salt
Add half a teaspoon of salt
Step 17:
Garnish
Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves onto the soup.
And Serve