It is time to seek refuge in the kitchen and cook some ‘rasam’ for the soul! Rasam, as we call it, ‘the very essence’ as it translates, is as fundamental to our food as the very air we breathe, and yet it is the simplest form of a soup. It is a comfort food for us, and to all our South Indian neighbors. When we were a kid, it is the first solid food we ate and the go to food when we were sick. When the British came to India, it was the first Indian food that got anglicized. They called it mullaga (chile) water, which eventually evolved into Mulligatawny Soup. Apparently, they liked it so much so that today, in its varied incarnations, it is available the world over. Warning it is very spicy and tone it down if you like and you do need to have the Instant Pot.
Pour the contents (except the curry leaves) of the dry spices into the Instant Pot Inner Pot (put the spices in one small area of the pan).
Pour the vegetable oil over the spices (just enough to soak the spices plus a little more).
Plug in the Instant pot, press ‘sauté’ and ‘adjust’ to ensure the digital display is on ‘more’. This is the high setting for sauté.
When you first hear the sound of the mustard seed "popping", pour the diced green chilies, butter, and ginger into the pan. Add the curry leaves. Stir until the butter melts and chilies and garlic mixes well together.
Adjust the ‘sauté’ temperature down if needed. Sauté for another 1 min.
Add salt, pepper, rasam powder, turmeric powder and tomatoes. Add 2 cup of water to the pan. Mix them well and let them cook together. Adjust the sauté temperature as needed.
Ensure you stir periodically for uniform cooking and mixing of spices (just fold it over using a spatula). Stir just enough until all the spices are mixed with the tomatoes. Bring it to the first boil. Wait for a minute.
Turn off the Instant Pot
Add (1cup) Dhal to the Inner Pot, add (5 cups of) water,
On manual, under high pressure, with vent sealed, cook for 20 min. Let it cool down naturally.
On a bowl add tamarind, add a cup of water and microwave for 2 minutes. Once cool, make a puree and remove all pulps. Dilute the tamarind, if needed for the right consistency and keep 1.5 cup of tamarind juice aside.
Make sure there is no pressure in the cooker and the pin (pressure) is down. Open the Cooker lid, and be careful the dhal will be extremely hot.
Add the tamarind juice. Taste and add salt if necessary. Stir once, and close the lid. 'Slow cook' in high for 30 min.
Once done, squeeze ½ a lemon without seeds. Add in fresh cilantro for garnish.
Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I am going to try it now. If I understand it correct, I need to add for serving of 8 people. Can you please let me know if it’s not correct?
Thank you for asking! I will and it is on the agenda. But it is a complicated project as I want to document my mother’s sambar and rasam power making. So, this will take a trip to india; but will be done!
Thank you for the wonderful recipe. I am going to try it now. If I understand it correct, I need to add for serving of 8 people. Can you please let me know if it’s not correct?
Thank you very much. Yes, the recipe will serve for 8 people. That is correct. Please let us know how it turned out.
What rasam powder do you use? Thanks!
It is a homemade rasam powder. There are many types of rasam powder available at local Indian grocery stores.
Hi, thanks for the receipe. Could you please share the receipe for Home Made Rasam and Sambar powders
Thank you for asking! I will and it is on the agenda. But it is a complicated project as I want to document my mother’s sambar and rasam power making. So, this will take a trip to india; but will be done!
I started the project and here is a brief note on the progress. https://www.facebook.com/groups/InstantPotIndian/permalink/730245973830707/. Check out the comments, and it gives the recipe.
What 1 cup dal did yoh use before you put the cooker on manual? Don’t see it in the ingredient list. Thanks!
Yes, corrected it. Thank you very much for pointing out. It is toor dhal.