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You are here: Home / Rasam Recipes / Lemon Rasam Recipe | South Indian Rasam Recipe with Lemon

Lemon Rasam Recipe | South Indian Rasam Recipe with Lemon

December 1, 2015 36 Comments

My mom only follows one kind of rasam recipe. Its watery, peppery, has no dal, and is ready in 7 mins flat. After getting married to a Tam Brahm I realized there are close to a gazillion different types of rasam and then some more. If dal or paruppu is added to rasam back home then we explicitly call it paruppu rasam and it resembles sambar, although taste-wise, it’s quite different.

Anyway, long story short, now I am introduced to the world of rasam where every single variety has a unique taste not just on the ingredients used but also depending on who makes it. Isn’t that mindbogglingly amazing? 
Let’s just say yes and move on shall we. 
Lemon Rasam Recipe | South Indian Rasam Recipe with Lemon
Ingredients for lemon rasam
Lemon rasam is interesting to me for two reasons. Lemon or lime totally rocks. Although I would still choose a molten chocolate cake over a lemon pie for dessert, as a fruit, I respect lemon. It really packs a lot of stuff in its small yellow self. Another reason why this lemon rasam calls out to me is addition of fresh ginger. Gotta love that. 
I have tried this rasam with and without adding cooked toor dal. The lighter version makes for a quick and easy kozhambu on weeknights and the other can be made if you are serving with a light vegetable curry on the side and nothing much else. 
Lemon Rasam Recipe | South Indian Rasam Recipe with Lemon

Lemon Rasam Recipe
Source: TH’s mom aka repository of unending rasam recipes

Ingredients:
1 marble-sized ball of tamarind (remember the lemon will make the rasam more sour)
Half a lemon
1/2 cup cooked and mashed toor dal / thuvaram paruppu / pigeon peas (optional)
1 small tomato, chopped
A 1″ piece of ginger, cut into small pieces
2 green chillies, or to taste
2 tsp rasam powder
A pinch of turmeric powder
Salt to taste
For tempering:
1 tsp ghee or oil
Some mustard seeds
A pinch of asafoetida / hing / perungaayam
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves (for garnish)

How to Make Lemon Rasam:

1. Soak the tamarind in 1 cup warm water for 10 minutes. Kneading with your fingertips, extract juice and discard pulp.

2. Take the tamarind extract in a bowl and add the chopped tomatoes, dal if using, slit green chillies, ginger, sambar cum rasam powder, turmeric powder and some salt. Bring to boil and simmer on low fire for 10 mins. Mash up the tomato well once its cooked and soft.

3. Next add another cup of water. Bring to boil. Test salt and tanginess. Remove from fire and while hot, add the juice from half a lemon.

4. Heat a small kadai and add the ghee or oil for tempering. Add all other ingredients and when the mustard seeds start popping, dunk into the rasam.

Serve hot with white rice and paruppu usili. 

Lemon Rasam Recipe | South Indian Rasam Recipe with Lemon
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By nags Filed Under: Rasam Recipes, Tamil Recipes, Uncategorized

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Comments

  1. Neets

    May 8, 2012 at 3:37 pm

    Hey Nags,

    Coincidentally, this is the only rasam my mom makes too lolz! I've made something different, using green chillies. Wonder whether u checked it out. If not, please do!

    Reply
  2. Anonymous

    January 4, 2012 at 10:57 am

    Thanks for the recipe!! I've become a regular to your blog off late!!! Amazing job!!

    Reply
  3. Anonymous

    November 16, 2011 at 4:06 pm

    I love South Indian cuisine and often come to your site to get recipes to try out. Wonderful food! Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  4. Nags

    May 17, 2011 at 2:02 am

    I am so glad you enjoyed the lemon rasam recipe 🙂

    Reply
  5. mykitchentrials

    May 16, 2011 at 11:08 am

    I made this rasam a week back and it was very good. The aroma of ginger and lemon was just wonderful. I really loved it.Thanks (to u and your MIL too :D) for the nice recipe.

    Reply
  6. Anonymous

    April 28, 2011 at 2:12 pm

    Garlic: That's quite correct, thank you for enlightening me on that point.

    Reply
  7. Nags

    April 28, 2011 at 1:49 am

    no, not all rasam recipes need to have garlic. traditional brahmins don't use garlic in any of their cooking, in fact.

    Reply
  8. Anonymous

    April 27, 2011 at 3:54 pm

    Great recipe! Just one query, I always thought that garlic was a prime ingredient in rasam recipes?

    Reply
  9. Anonymous

    March 23, 2011 at 10:51 am

    its gud but am allergic to tamarind..
    So i make lemon rasam wit dal,tomatoes and grren chiiles and ofcouse lemon

    Reply
  10. yarn_lady

    January 3, 2011 at 7:00 am

    I just tried the lemon rasam yesterday (not your recipe sadly) and found it was lacking something and I couldn't quite put my finger on the missing link … now after reading yours I think it was missing the ginger!!! Serves me right for not searching your blog first!!! Thanks so much for the recipe!

    Reply
  11. divya

    December 25, 2010 at 12:18 pm

    hi,
    there are more than 50 varieties of rasam,but each and every addition should add taste and aroma for the preparation…..it becomes a perfect dish….urs was good…. i would add coconut scrapings on top. divya sivakumar,shanghai

    Reply
  12. Nags

    December 25, 2010 at 12:27 pm

    That's a great idea! so glad you liked the lemon rasam recipe 🙂

    Reply
  13. Happy Cook

    April 1, 2010 at 1:05 pm

    I have never had lemon rasam , but i would so love to have with just plain rice and pickels. Just the though malkes me drool.

    Reply
  14. jayasri

    April 1, 2010 at 1:05 pm

    yes there are so many kinds of rasams, when I got married I learnt too many rasams and one of that is this Lemon rasam, mm., mouth is watering now, lemon rasam and paruppu usli great combination!!, only thing with Lemon rasam is you should never reheat it!!!

    Reply
  15. perplexed

    February 15, 2010 at 8:56 am

    really? damn! I need to get one of those ASAP then… will go shop 🙂 thanks nags!

    Reply
  16. Nags

    February 15, 2010 at 2:55 am

    Dal is not easy to cook in microwave, it will take you ages!! Get a pressure cooker from India no? its any Indian-food cooking person's best friend 🙂

    Reply
  17. perplexed

    February 13, 2010 at 5:18 am

    It looks yummy!! like home food 🙂 just one thing… can I cook dal in microwave? If so, how many cups of water and how long? I am sooo trying this!! 🙂

    Reply
  18. Eric

    February 11, 2010 at 1:56 pm

    Hi, ur blog is really nice & informative, while reading ur blog I truly like ur recipe & definitely try at my home. I just wanna suggest that u should go for blog advertising & marketing there is a site which is offering very unique features at affordable prices there are expert advertising team who will promote ur blog & affiliate ads through all over the networks which will definitely boost ur traffic. Finally I have bookmarked ur blog & also shared this blog to my friends.. i think my friend might too like it hope u have a wonderful day & !!happy blogging!!.

    Reply
  19. jayasri

    February 11, 2010 at 10:39 am

    yes there are so many kinds of rasams, when I got married I learnt too many rasams and one of that is this Lemon rasam, mm., mouth is watering now, lemon rasam and paruppu usli great combination!!, only thing with Lemon rasam is you should never reheat it!!!

    Reply
  20. Rohini

    February 11, 2010 at 3:51 pm

    True that we have so many varieties of rasam.. Same paruppu rasam, tomato rasam, I make it in diff ways depending on my mood 🙂
    Lovely presentation, so inviting! Btw, I loved ur one-liner "TH's mom aka repository of unending rasam recipes" 😀

    Reply
  21. Sumi

    February 11, 2010 at 1:42 am

    Its the same case with my mom, makes the same peper rasam everytime, But I could neer get that taste. Ya you are right, Iam also learning lots of varieties in rasams from my eighbour friend whos is a TamBrahm.
    Rasam with paruppu usili is a classic combination.

    Reply
  22. RAKS KITCHEN

    February 11, 2010 at 8:48 am

    I too clicked a rasam today to post! And even I dont like lemony desserts,but love lemon lime. That too our small variety(one from India) is much different from the one we get here in local.I always carry that pack of lemons from Mustafa!

    I don't add tamarind,else all same,gorgeous pictures!

    Reply
  23. Cynthia

    February 10, 2010 at 11:46 pm

    It's the simple ingredients that make outstanding food eh? You make me hungry.

    Reply
  24. simply.food

    February 10, 2010 at 8:01 pm

    Looks delicious and beautiful click.

    Reply
  25. Mriganayani

    February 10, 2010 at 4:23 pm

    I second you on that dessert opinion – I respect lemons but can never eat a dessert made with lemon. The rasam looks sexy! And I love your platter!

    Reply
  26. Parita

    February 10, 2010 at 4:11 pm

    I just love to have rasam all by itself, its so satisfying!

    Reply
  27. Saee Koranne-Khandekar

    February 10, 2010 at 4:00 pm

    Slurp. I've just finished dinner, and am tempted to settle down with a mugful of this!

    Reply
  28. Home Cooked Oriya Food

    February 10, 2010 at 2:55 pm

    looks wonderful… Lovely click too!

    Reply
  29. Priya

    February 10, 2010 at 2:36 pm

    Yummmmm!!such a comforting rasam..

    Reply
  30. Pavithra

    February 10, 2010 at 2:26 pm

    Mmmmmmmmmmmm thats wonderful hearty rasam.

    Reply
  31. Divya Kudua

    February 10, 2010 at 1:27 pm

    I don't follow a particular recipe for rasam and for the same reason,my rasam tastes different every time:).Adding lemon along with tomatoes would make it tangy and hence tempting!!

    Reply
  32. Prathibha

    February 10, 2010 at 1:11 pm

    We make lemon rasam in a quite different way whr the usage of tamarind is nill…hmm..nothing is comforting than hot rice with some fry,rasam and papad

    Reply
  33. notyet100

    February 10, 2010 at 12:48 pm

    omg this looks so so comforting…

    Reply
  34. Happy Cook

    February 10, 2010 at 12:22 pm

    I have never had lemon rasam , but i would so love to have with just plain rice and pickels. Just the though malkes me drool.

    Reply
  35. [email protected]

    February 10, 2010 at 12:00 pm

    rasam is in one of those zones that i rarely venture into. most of my life i have hated rasam… and suddenly one morning i started loving it – after childbirth. so i just know and make only one kind. tomato!

    Reply
  36. Tina

    February 10, 2010 at 12:51 pm

    Never tried this..Sounds yummy and easy…

    Reply

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I am Nags, the face behind Edible Garden, a food and recipes website for the busy (and sometimes lazy!) cook since 2007. My recipes are meant to be quick yet healthy and delicious - Nothing fancy, nothing too difficult. Follow Me On Instagram for real-time food and life updates.

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