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Rasam powder
Rasam spice powder
ரசப் பொடி: everyday Tamil rasam podi of roasted coriander, pepper, cumin, toor dal and chilli, ground fresh in small batches (about 130 g jar)
A spoon of rasam podi, a lime-sized ball of tamarind, a tomato and a ladle of cooked toor dal: that is lunch in countless Tamil homes, from Thanjavur to Tirunelveli, and the podi is what makes one family's rasam taste unlike the neighbour's. This version is peppery and cumin-forward, as rasam should be, with roasted coriander for body and a little toor dal that thickens the broth slightly and gives it a rounded, nutty base. It is meant for clear, thin rasams: tomato rasam, pepper rasam, lemon rasam, and the one you sip as a soup when you have a cold. Make a small batch, since the aroma fades after a couple of months. Common mistake: roasting the coriander seeds until dark brown; they turn bitter and the rasam tastes burnt. Chef's tip: add rasam powder at the end, when the tamarind water is already boiling, and switch off the heat as soon as the rasam froths; boiling it hard kills the pepper aroma.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ oz coriander seeds
- ⅞ oz toor dal
- 2 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 12 dried red chilliesstalks removed
- 15 curry leaveswashed and completely dry
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp gluten-free asafoetida
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Dry-roast 1 ¾ oz coriander seeds in a heavy kadai over a low heat, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until it turns a shade darker and smells citrusy. Tip onto a plate.
4 minStep 2: Roast ⅞ oz toor dal over a low heat for 4–5 minutes until golden.
5 minStep 3: Roast 2 tbsp black peppercorns, 1 tbsp cumin seeds and ½ tsp fenugreek seeds together for 1–2 minutes until the cumin is fragrant and the fenugreek turns light brown; dark fenugreek is bitter.
2 minStep 4: Roast 12 dried red chillies for 1–2 minutes until crisp, then 15 curry leaves for 1 minute until they crumble.
3 minStep 5: Leave everything to cool completely, then grind to a fine powder with 1 tsp ground turmeric and 1 tsp gluten-free asafoetida.
15 minStep 6: Store in a clean, dry, airtight jar away from light and use within 2–3 months. Use 1 tbsp for rasam for 4.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 15 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does rasam powder take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of coriander seeds?
- Ground coriander, same amount (add it later in the cooking; it burns faster).
- What can I use instead of toor dal?
- Red lentils (masoor dal) (cook 10 minutes less).
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