South Indian recipes are usually hot and spicy, same as this Rasam powder recipe. A key ingredient for making an authentic Tamil’s side dish called Rasam. This spice mix is made with black pepper, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, and Toor dal(split pigeon pea). Very aromatic and tastes delicious when added to the Rasam.
This homemade rasam powder mix is way better than the readymade spices available in the stores. More than anything, preparing the spice blend at home gives a soul-satisfying feeling and it is healthy as well. By learning how to make the basic spice blends at home helps us to avoid any chemical flavor enhancers or preservatives.
Preparing the rasam powder at home is super easy than you thought of. Just a few minutes of your time can save you from unwanted chemicals and emulsifiers.
The Pensylvania is marching towards winter, and it’s getting colder every day. Wrapping ourselves with fleeces and throws are keeping us warm and cozy. How can an Indian family enjoy this season, it’s all by sipping a hot cup of rasam soup.
Enhance every cup of your rasam with this instant rasam powder, with more robust flavors. Every family has its own way of preparing this spice blend. And this is our own family’s secret, which I really wanted to share with you all today.
I have been preparing this mix from the age I could remember. And this is the basic ingredient for any type of rasam we cook. Whether it is authentic rasam recipe or special recipes like pineapple rasam, pepper rasam, and tomato rasam. This would just fit in anywhere and intensifies the Indian dish’s aroma and the taste.
I’m not a fan of readymade spices as they turn to sawdust after a couple of uses. The store-bought may taste good when you open the packages, after that it tends to lose its flavor and thereby its taste.
This rasam powder recipe will not disappoint you, you have a comfort of adjusting to your spice needs. You know the frequency of cooking rasam at home. So you can adjust the quantity accordingly. Moreover, it is budget-friendly and you know what is in there.
What is rasam?
Rasam is the authentic side dish recipe in South Indian cuisine. Without this dish, the South Indian meal will not get completed. This is a thin, soup-like food that usually served with rice. And at times, served as a soup and advised by elders in our family to drink it after a heavy meal.
Here in the United States, I have seen many Indian restaurants have rasam as their soup menu. This is sour with the bold flavors of black pepper, garlic, and cumin seeds.
What is rasam powder?
If you have come this much far, you might already know this rasam powder is the basic ingredient for making the Indian delicacy Rasam. Since it is made with pepper, cumin seeds, and coriander seeds, good for the digestion. And I personally feel that it clears my throat and immediately I start feeling light whenever I feel bloated.
Why you should make it at home?
It is always healthy when homemade, and it could save some money. Moreover, you feel that you are providing good food for the family. If all these advantages are bundled with effortless simple work, then why not we can make at home.
- Healthy.
- Avoid chemicals, preservatives, food colors.
- Very aromatic and delicious.
- Full control over the ingredients.
- Easy and simple to make.
- Save money.
How to make rasam powder?
I wanted to make this recipe as simple as possible with easy to find ingredients and remains very authentic always. We will see the ingredients and their possible substitutions that will not affect the dish’s original taste and flavor.
Authentically the ingredients are used to sun-dried before grinding. But its sun drying method is not always possible in the state like Pennsylvania, where it would cover with the cloud most time. So we have opted for the pan roasting method, which is reliable and relishes great as well.
The ingredients.
Toor dal. This adds the density and little protein to the dish. Indian stores carry this at approximately $4 for two pounds. Which is good enough, you can use it for making dal or lentil curry. If you are looking into Indian recipes, I would say, its a good investment. Otherwise, you may skip using it, and still, this spice mix will serve the purposes.
Black Pepper. The rasam cannot be made without the black pepper, where this ingredient is originated in South India. This aids for good digestion, a great antioxidant, and Healthline also says so. I would strongly advise using the whole black pepper, which has got an intense flavor and that hits your tongue while eating.
Cumin seeds. A nice flavor enhancer and also great for digestion. The other side of the world using this spice for centuries and believes that it may help for better digestions and for fat reduction. You may refer Healthline for more advantages of using cumin seeds. Most stores carry cumin seeds either in the spices aisle or in specialty isle. Online stores also a good place to locate this spice.
Coriander seeds. Another important ingredient is responsible for aroma in this mixture. It provides depth for this classic Indian recipe. Never skip this, and you will pat yourself for whipping up a rich and best rasam that everyone will give their heart for.
Optional ingredients. Asafoetida and turmeric powder. Other two unique Indian ingredients that I really wanted to mention here. Since this rasam powder recipe is multifunctional and I have not mentioned here. To have this recipe more adaptable to various dishes, I have not included it here. These two ingredients are already in powder form, you may add these while making rasam or individual recipes.
The directions.
Dry roast. As I have already mentioned this can be done either by sun-drying or by pan roasting. The main purpose of dry roasting is to remove any moisture content to make it more flavorful. We are making today’s recipe is by roasting in the pan.
In a pan all the ingredients together, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black pepper, and Toor dal. Dry roast until it changes its color slightly.
Cool. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
Grind. Add the ingredients to the blender and grind it to a coarse powder. Make sure not to grind finely, as this will destroy the spice’s natural flavors.
Store. Transfer it in the airtight container for further use.
How to store?
Transfer the ground mixture to an airtight jar for later uses. Narrow-mouthed airtight glasswares are advisable to store the spice mixes. If you have made in larger quantity, divide and store them in a different container to avoid any loss of aroma in handling the jars.
I usually freeze the spice powder. And transfer to smaller jars to store in the kitchen shelves for a single month usage. This way the aroma is preserved for a year-long usage.
How to use this Indian spice mix?
- Apart from making rasam, you can also use this as spice powder for making any Indian curries. We can use this spice mix whenever a recipe calls for curry powder.
- If you are making an Indian style meal, whether a simple vegetarian curry or meat curry, we can confidently add this spice mix.
- This is a great addition when we try to bring Indian flavors in any curry. How to do? Just sprinkle this spice mix before removing it from the heat.
- This can also be used as rub while marinating chicken or seafood. This blends rightly well with the meat and acts as a flavor booster that tingles your sensations.
Other Indian spice blends
Rasam powder recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup toor dal split pigeon pea
- 1 cup coriander seeds
- 1 cup black pepper
- 1 cup cumin seeds
Instructions
- Over the medium heat, in a pan, add all the ingredients together.
- Roast them until it changes its color slightly and starts fragrant.
- Allow them to cool to room temperature.
- Add it to the blender and grind it to a coarse powder.
- Transfer them to an airtight containers.
Suja Manoj
Home made rasam powder is the best, lovely clicks.