Lemongrass rasam is a nice flavourful twist to our regular rasam with the star ingredient lemongrass the flavour I love.
Last month my relative told me she had tried this lemongrass rasam and I was immediately wowed by the idea. I imagined a recipe of rasam with lemongrass and a dash of thin coconut milk with glangal in place of ginger, use citron and garnish with kafir lime leaves. But kept it simple as everyone should try it and not make it more complicated with the Thai ingredients. I would definitely try that version too.
I avoided certain ingredients to keep the lemongrass flavour undisturbed. But feel free to add or omit ingredients to suit your taste buds. For best flavour, use the bottom part, purplish inside of the lemongrass. I had some leftover ingredients just enough for this recipe after making Thai red curry, so made and enjoyed rasam.
Recipe card
Lemongrass rasam
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Lemongrass chopped
- 1 lemon large
- 2 tablespoon toor dal cooked
- 1 teaspoon pepper crushed
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric I used 1 teaspoon fresh grated turmeric
- 3 Green chillies slit
- 3 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped
- Salt
- 1 kaffir lime leaf torn
To temper
- 1 teaspoon oil
- ½ teaspoon Mustard
- 1 red chilli
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 pinch asafoetida
Instructions
- I chopped the lemongrass. You can crush slightly too, for getting the most of it's flavour.
- Place lemongrass, tomato, green chilli, 2 tablespoon coriander leaves in a vessel. Add 2 cups water to it, along with turmeric (I used fresh turmeric, grated).
- Bring to boil. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add crushed pepper powder.
- Dissolve cooked dal and make total one cup with water. Pour into the boiling rasam. Add enough salt and mix well.
- Switch off the flame once the rasam starts to boil frothy. Squeeze lemon.
- Temper with the items given under to temper.
- Garnish with remaining coriander leaves, kaffir lime leaves if adding.
Notes
- I added the lemongrass chopped, so the flavour was very mild. If you want more of lemongrass flavour, crush it slightly. Do not crush more as it might turn bitter.
- I add ¼ teaspoon sugar for balancing the taste and love it.
- Give 30 mins standing time for the flavour to infuse more.
Lemongrass rasam method:
- I chopped the lemongrass. You can crush slightly too, for getting the most of it's flavour. Place lemongrass, tomato, green chilli, 2 tablespoon coriander leaves in a vessel.
- Add 2 cups water to it, along with turmeric (I used fresh turmeric, grated).
- Bring to boil. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add crushed pepper powder.
- Dissolve cooked dal and make total one cup with water. Pour into the boiling rasam.
- Add enough salt and mix well.
- Switch off the flame once the rasam starts to boil frothy. Squeeze lemon.
- Temper with the items given under to temper. Garnish with remaining coriander leaves, kaffir lime leaves if adding.
Serve hot with steamed rice.
Ajitha
This is an amazing recipe. We have lemon grass plant. I grinded with little water and drained it using tea strainer before using it in making rasam.