Indian cuisine · Soups & Stews

Kollu Rasam

Thin Tamil rasam made from cooked horse gram with tamarind, plenty of pepper and curry leaves.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 150 g horse gram (kollu, or substitute brown lentils)
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt

Instructions

1. Soak the horse gram overnight in plenty of cold water, drain the next day and simmer in 1.2 l fresh water for 35–40 min. until soft.
2. Strain the gram, making sure to keep the cloudy cooking water, and coarsely purée half of the gram with a ladle of the cooking water.
3. Crush the peppercorns, cumin and two garlic cloves in a mortar to a coarse powder – coarser than a fine powder, so the rasam keeps some bite in its aroma.
4. Dice the tomatoes and simmer uncovered with the tamarind paste, the spice powder, the cooking water and the puréed gram for 10 min. until the raw tamarind taste disappears.
5. Add the remaining whole gram, season with salt and just heat the rasam through without letting it boil, so it stays thin and clear.
6. Heat the oil, let the mustard seeds pop in it, toast asafoetida, curry leaves and the remaining chopped garlic for 20 sec., pour over the rasam and serve sprinkled with cilantro alongside rice.