Garlic Mango Rasam

Rasam is a tangy, spiced, and soupy preparations from the South Indian cuisine. Rasam is a staple in many South Indian households. It is made using various herbs, spices, lentils, sometime using fruits such as pineapple, lemon too, most made using tomatoes or tamarind.For the below recipe, we will use tamarind as a base.

  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Servings: 4

Ingredients

For Rasam:

  • 600 ml Water
  • Raw or Semi-Ripe Mango pieces (1 cup), de-skinned
  • 2 Slit Green Chillies
  • 1 Green Chilly for the paste
  • 5 Curry Leaves, roughly torn by hand
  • 1 small piece of Ginger, finely diced
  • 1 tsp Coconut Oil
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 tbsp Rasam Podi
  • Rock Salt, to taste

For Tempering:

  • 2 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 2 tbsp Coconut Oil
  • 2 Broken Dry Red Chillies (Byadgi variety)
  • 4 Whole Garlic Cloves, smashed
  • 1 Pinch of Hing (Asafetida)

For Garnish:

  • 2 tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)

Directions

Making Rasam:

  • Finely grind/blend the mango pieces and 1 green chilly with 100 ml of water in a wet grinder. Keep aside.
  • Heat 1 tsp coconut oil over medium flame. Add the slit green chillies, ginger, and curry leaves. Sauté for 30 seconds.
  • Add turmeric powder and hing. Sauté for another 10-15 seconds until the raw aroma of the turmeric fades.
  • Add the mango-chilly blend and sauté for another minute.
  • Pour in the water and add rock salt. Mix well and bring to a boil. Add the rasam podi (just enough to enhance fragrance, but don’t let it overpower the mango's taste).
  • Lower the heat, cover, and let it simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Tempering:

  • In a tadka pan, heat 2 tbsp coconut oil. Add cumin seeds, dry red chillies, and garlic cloves. Once the garlic turns slightly brown, add a pinch of hing. Pour the tempering over the simmering rasam. Continue simmering for another 5-8 minutes.
  • Adjust salt and water to taste. Optionally, add a piece of jaggery for sweetness.

Garnish:

  • Turn off the heat and garnish the rasam with chopped coriander leaves. Mix well before serving.