Tomato Rasam (Saaru)
Rasam, called saaru in Kannada, is a thin, peppery broth of tomato and tamarind that South Indian homes make almost every day. It is poured over steamed rice, or sipped hot from a cup when you are feeling under the weather. A spoonful of cooked dal turns it into the heartier bele saaru.
By Vegan Cook. Published 1 November 2026
Ingredients
Serves 4.
- 2ripe tomatoes, crushed by hand and chopped
- 2 to 3 tsptamarind liquid, made from paste or from soaked tamarind
- 6 tsprasam powder, shop-bought
- 1/2 tspblack pepper, coarsely ground
- 1/2 tspchilli flakes
- 500 mlwater, or more as needed
- 1 tspsalt, or to taste
- 1 tspground coriander (dhaniya powder)
- 1 tbspdesiccated coconut, optional
- 2 tbspfresh coriander leaves, chopped
- 2 tbsptoor dal (split pigeon peas), optional, for bele saaru
- 1 tbspcoconut oil or mustard oil, for the seasoning
- 1/2 tspmustard seeds
- 1/2 tspcumin seeds (jeera)
- 1 tspurad dal (split black lentils)
- 8 to 10curry leaves
- 2 clovesgarlic, thinly sliced, optional
Cookware
- Medium saucepan
- Small saucepan or pressure cooker, if adding dal
- Small bowl
Method
Read each step end-to-end before starting.
- 01
Cook the dal, if using
For bele saaru, rinse the toor dal and cook it in about 150 ml of water until very soft, either by simmering for 25 to 30 minutes or by pressure cooking for 3 whistles. (A whistle is the burst of steam a pressure cooker releases once it reaches pressure.) Mash it smooth and set it aside. You need only a small amount.
- 02
Prepare the tamarind
If you are using block tamarind rather than paste, soak a piece about the size of a large grape in a few tablespoons of warm water for 10 minutes. Squeeze it between your fingers to dissolve the pulp, then strain the liquid and discard the seeds and fibres.
- 03
Make the seasoning
Heat the oil in the saucepan over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and wait until they crackle and pop, then add the cumin seeds, urad dal, curry leaves and the garlic, if using. Fry until the urad dal is brown but not black, because blackened dal tastes bitter. This step, known as tempering, fries whole spices in hot oil so that they release their flavour into it.
- 04
Add the tomatoes and spices
Add the tomatoes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until soft and pulpy. Stir in the tamarind liquid, then the black pepper, chilli flakes and rasam powder, and cook for a minute so the spices lose their raw edge. Shop-bought rasam powders vary a great deal in strength, so if you are using a brand for the first time, start with half the amount and add more to taste once the rasam has simmered.
- 05
Add the water
Pour in the water a little at a time rather than all at once, tasting as you go, and stir in the cooked dal now if you are making bele saaru. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 to 8 minutes, until the raw smell of the tamarind has gone and a light froth rises to the surface. If it tastes too thin, stir in more coriander leaves or the desiccated coconut to give it body.
- 06
Finish and serve
Add the desiccated coconut if you are using it, the salt and the ground coriander, then scatter over the coriander leaves. Serve hot, poured over steamed rice or in a cup to sip.
Allergen profile
Every recipe here is fully plant-based. Cross-contamination risk depends on your kitchen, so check all packaging.
Swap note
Shop-bought rasam powder usually contains hing (asafoetida), which is commonly blended with wheat flour, so this rasam is labelled as containing gluten. Gluten-free rasam powder is available, so check the label. Free of soy and nuts.