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Lemon Rasam
This Lemon Rasam is a spicy, tangy, delicious rasam made with lemon juice, lentils, spices and herbs. It can served over hot steamed rice or had as soup.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 3
Calories: 133 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Indian
Ingredients
For cooking lentils
- ¼ cup pigeon pea lentils (tur dal, tuvar dal or arhar dal)
- 1 pinch turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ¾ to 1 cup water - for pressure cooking lentils
To be ground coarsely
- ⅓ cup chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
- 2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 or 2 green chilies - chopped
- ½ inch ginger - roughly chopped
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves - small to medium-sized, roughly chopped
Tempering and making lemon rasam
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (gingelly oil) or any neutral tasting oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 12 to 15 curry leaves
- 1 to 2 dry red chilies
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- 1 to 1.5 cups water or add water as required
- 2.5 to 3 tablespoons lemon juice or add lemon juice as per taste
- salt as required
- 2 to 3 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves - for garnish
Instructions
Cooking lentils
- Rinse and then add the tur dal or pigeon pea lentils in a pressure cooker together with a pinch of turmeric powder.
- Add ¾ to 1 cup water and pressure cook on medium heat for 8 to 9 whistles or till the dal has softened and cooked really well.
- When the pressure settles down on its own, check the dal and mash with a spoon or wired whisk. Keep the cooked lentils aside.
Cup of Yum
Making lemon rasam
- In a small grinder or chutney grinder, take the chopped coriander, cumin seeds, black peppercorns and roughly chopped green chilies, ginger, garlic cloves.
- Without adding water grind to a coarse or semi-fine paste. Keep aside.
- In a pan or pot, heat sesame oil or any oil and add mustard seeds on low to medium-low heat. Fry till the mustard seeds start crackling.
- Then add curry leaves and red chilies. Fry till the red chilies change their color and darken a bit. Don't burn them.
- Now add the ground coarse herbs and spices paste along with a pinch of asafoetida (hing) and turmeric powder. Stir and mix very well on low heat.
- Add the cooked lentils and add 1 to 1.5 cups water. Stir again to mix well.
- Season with salt and again stir.
- On a low to medium heat simmer the rasam for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Switch off the heat. Wait for 1 minute and then add 2.5 to 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice.
- You can add more or less as required and as per your taste. Instead of lemon you can also add lime juice. Stir to combine.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and serve lemon rasam with steamed rice or drink it as a soup.
Notes
- Instead of lemon juice, you can use lime juice but add as required depending on your taste preferences.
- Use fresh coriander and other herbs to get the best flavors. Make sure the lemons or limes are also fresh.
- It is best to savor this lemon rasam as soon as it is made. The flavors and taste change when the rasam is refrigerated.
Nutrition Information
Calories
133kcal
(7%)
Carbohydrates
17g
(6%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
5g
(8%)
Saturated Fat
1g
(5%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
2g
Sodium
550mg
(23%)
Potassium
240mg
(7%)
Fiber
7g
(28%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
346IU
(7%)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
47mg
Vitamin B6
1mg
Vitamin C
93mg
(103%)
Vitamin E
1mg
Vitamin K
9µg
Calcium
57mg
(6%)
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
552µg
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Magnesium
33mg
Phosphorus
94mg
Zinc
1mg
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 3Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 133
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 133kcal | 7% |
| Carbohydrates | 17g | 6% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 5g | 8% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Sodium | 550mg | 23% |
| Potassium | 240mg | 5% |
| Fiber | 7g | 28% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 346IU | 7% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 47mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 93mg | 103% |
| Vitamin E | 1mg | |
| Vitamin K | 9µg | |
| Calcium | 57mg | 6% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 552µg | |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
| Magnesium | 33mg | 8% |
| Phosphorus | 94mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.