The word rasam comes from the Sanskrit word “rasa” which means juice. Thus, rasams are always clear, light broths or looked at another way, instant soups. Traditional rasams have always been revered by people from the South of India for its warm and comforting touch.
Generally, they have one of three bases: tomatoes, lentils or tamarind. To me, its a joyful endeavor to layer these bases with other harmonius flavors–tomato with leek, tamarind with mushrooms, lentils with pineapple. The goal: keep its warm touch but add a smattering of fun to it.
There is a quirky story about the first rasam ever created, that best illustrates my point. There was a king in ancient South India whose son was very sick. Of late, the young prince had simply refused to eat any of the palace-cooked meals. The king was in despair. He announced a large reward of gold coins to any subject who could cook a dish that the young prince would enjoy. The news caused a furor. People, rich and poor alike, ransacked their pantry, trying to imagine what a rich prince would like. The line of sumptuous, decadent dishes sent to the palace was long and kept increasing. But the prince rejected them all.
Then along came a poor farmer with this simple, yet golden looking soup that smelled alternately of pineapples and cilantro. Without hesitation, the prince scarfed the soup down. The king asked the farmer, “what is this?”, “how did you know what the prince would like”. The farmer replied simply, “Your royal highness, I just imagined what my child would eat if he was sick–then I went out to my farm and foraged for those ingredients–pineapples, cilantro, tomatoes. I mixed them all up with a few spices and came up with this soup.”
The king was so delighted that not only did he reward the poor farmer with gold coins, he also ordained that from now on, rasam should be served throughout his kingdom.
I don’t know how true the story is and I’ve certainly embellished it in this recitation but the story connects with my vision of a fun, yet soulful soup. That’s why I share it with you. Because, at the end of the day, isn’t that what food and stories have in common–an ability to connect us in warm and fun ways.
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Leek & Tomato Rasam (Indian Leek & Tomato Soup)
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35
- Yield: 8 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A light and refreshing soup that highlights the fantastic flavor of leeks. Â
Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 roma or 2 vine ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped into quarters
1 1/2 cup leeks, washed and sliced into rounds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1 1/2 tsp. asafoetida
1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1 tsp. red Kashmiri chili or 1/4 tsp. if using a stronger chili powder/cayenne pepper powder
2 1/2 tsp. basic rasam powder
Salt to taste (approx. 1-1 1/4 tsp.)
2 cups water
Instructions
Making the Rasam:
- Drizzle 1/2 tbsp. olive oil over the tomatoes and roast on a hot grill or pan on high heat for approx. 5-6 mins. until they are slightly charred and mushy.
- Roast the leeks in the same pan or grill for 3 to 4 mins. until they are slightly brown and give off a wonderful aroma.
- In a deep bottomed pot, heat 1 tbsp. olive oil on med. for 2 mins.
- Add 1 tsp. each of cumin seeds and asafoetida plus 1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds. Saute for 2 mins. till the cumin seeds crackle and pop.
- Add the tomatoes, leeks and water and bring to a gentle boil, for about 10 mins.
- Add 1 tsp. red Kashmiri chili powder, 2 1/2 tsp. rasam powder and salt to taste (approx. 1 tsp.). Cook for 5 more mins.
- Turn off the stove and strain the liquid, throwing away the solids and reserving the soupy, clear portion.
Tempering It:
- 5 mins. before the rasam is done, heat 1/2 tbsp. olive oil in a pan for 2 mins.
- Add 1/2 tsp. asafoetida. Cook for one min.
- Add to rasam, stir, and cook for 2-3 mins.
- Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary and serve hot!
Notes
- If you’re in a rush, and want to make this a one-pot dish, just pan-roast the leeks and tomatoes in the same deep-bottomed pan that you make the rasam. Just remember to roast the leeks first because once the tomatoes turn mushy, it will be difficult to roast the leeks. In the end, after straining the liquid, wipe the pan, add 1/2 tbsp oil to it, cook 1/2 tsp. asafoetida for 1 min., toss in the reserved liquid, cook for 2-3 mins and serve. You have one pot Leek & Tomato Rasam!
- If leeks are unavailable, scallions are a good substitute. Finely chop 6-7 scallions and blend with 1 1/2 cups water to make a scallion stock. Follow all steps above, sans leeks, but substitute the scallion stock for the water. The flavor of pureed scallions is similar to leeks but milder.
- Out of rasam powder and not in the mood to make any? Substitute with 1 tsp. coriander powder, 1/2 tsp. each of cumin powder, ground pepper and asafoetida. The leeks are the star of the show here and the spices are nothing but the supporting cast.
- Tomatoes are non-negotiable!
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 31
- Sugar: 0.2
- Sodium: 593
- Fat: 1.4
- Saturated Fat: .02
- Carbohydrates: 4.6
- Fiber: 1.1
- Protein: 0.8
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: Rasam, Tomato Rasam, Leek Rasam, Soup, Tomato Soup, Leek Soup, Tomato and Leek Soup, Tomato Broth, Leek and Tomato Broth, South Indian Food, Indian Food, Vegan Food, Vegetarian Food
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