rasam

Rasam is a traditional South Indian soup-like dish commonly served as part of a meal in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Kerala. It is a clear, tangy, and peppery broth that is typically enjoyed hot with rice or as a starter. The base is tamarind juice, often with tomato or lemon, which is simmered with water and seasoned with a ground spice blend called rasam powder.

Rasam powder usually contains coriander seeds, cumin, dried red chilies, black pepper, and fenugreek or sesame, with optional garlic or curry leaves. A tempering (tadka) of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilies, curry leaves, and optional garlic is fried in oil or ghee and added to the simmering liquid to finish the dish. In some regional variants, toor dal is cooked and added for body, as in paruppu rasam.

Common variants include tomato rasam, lemon rasam, pepper rasam (milagu rasam), and paruppu rasam. The balance of sourness, heat, and salt varies by household, but rasam is typically bright, aromatic, and relatively light.

The term rasam derives from Tamil, meaning extract or juice, reflecting its role as a flavorful broth. Rasam is valued for its digestive qualities and remains a regular component of a traditional South Indian meal, often served with steamed rice and a spoonful of ghee.