rasam soup

Rasam is a cleansing soup we use in Ayurveda to increase and support digestion and remove metabolic waste from the body. It is warming, making it a great soup for people with weak digestion. It clears out a cough, congestion, mucus, and excess water. Clearing the channels of the body and reducing stagnation which may show up as weight gain, heaviness, or seasonal allergies this time of year. It is a great soup to have once a week when moving into Spring. It is one of my favorite soups this time of year and reminds me of a savory tomato soup. The recipe calls for whole spices if you do not want to dry roast and grind your own. You can use ground spices instead.

Ingredients:

¼ cup coriander seeds

1 tbsp whole black peppercorns

2 tbsp cumin seeds

¼ tsp fenugreek

1 tsp asafoetida (Hing) powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp mustard seed

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 Tbsp ghee

1-2 pinches of cane sugar

Freshly-squeezed lemon juice from 1-lemon

6 cups water

4 medium tomatoes, finely chopped (about 2 cups)

10 to 15 bay or curry leaves (omit if do not have them)

2 Tbsp. fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped

Directions:

Separately dry-roast coriander, cumin, fenugreek seeds, and whole black peppercorns in a saucepan on medium heat until fragrant. Stir frequently. Remove and let cool on a plate. Once cooled, grind the spices in a coffee grinder and set aside. Place water and tomatoes in a medium stock pot on medium heat and add salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and cooked thoroughly. Reduce the heat to low. Add 2 tbsp of the above-powdered spice mixture to the water, lemon juice, and a pinch of cane sugar. Stir well. In a separate saucepan, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds to the ghee. After mustard seeds begin to pop, remove from heat and add asafoetida (hing), turmeric, ginger, and curry leaves if using. Stir spice mixture well. Then add ghee and spice mixture to tomatoes. Serve in bowls and finish with finely-chopped parsley leaves.

Variations: I add ½ cup of cooked basmati rice to the bowl before ladling in the soup. If you do not like parsley, you can use chopped cilantro instead.