Gluten-Free Tamil Tomato Rasam

Ingredients

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• 3 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste (or a lime-size piece soaked in 1 cup warm water) Shop
• 1/4 cup cooked toor dal, mashed (optional)
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp cumin seeds Shop
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric Shop
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp ghee or neutral oil Shop
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds Shop
• 10 curry leaves
• 1/8 tsp asafoetida (hing) labeled gluten-free
• 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped

Instructions

1. 1 Coarsely crush the peppercorns, cumin seeds, and garlic in a mortar (or pulse in a spice grinder).
2. 2 Put the tomatoes, tamarind, water, turmeric, salt, and half the crushed spice mix in a pot. Simmer 10 to 12 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and the raw tamarind smell is gone.
3. 3 Add the remaining spice mix and the mashed dal if using. Heat until a light foam rises to the top, then turn off the heat before it boils hard.
4. 4 For the tempering, heat the ghee in a small pan. Add the mustard seeds; when they pop, add the curry leaves and asafoetida for 5 seconds. Pour over the rasam.
5. 5 Stir in the cilantro and serve hot in cups or over rice.

Nutrition (per serving)

Tips & Notes

• Asafoetida is the hidden-gluten risk here: much ground hing is cut with a flour filler, often one that contains gluten, so buy one labeled gluten-free.
• Rasam should be thin and pourable, closer to a sipping soup than a dal. If the mashed dal makes it thick, stir in hot water a little at a time.
• Rasam keeps in the refrigerator up to 3 days, and the tamarind and pepper flavor sharpens overnight. Reheat it gently without letting it boil.

Common questions