Rasam is an immensely popular South Indian soup. The word rasam, in the Tamil language, means "essence," or "juice," and has come to mean a particular type of soup that includes the tartness of tamarind or tomatoes. The ingredients used in rasam vary, but it is basically a light, spicy soup. The spiciness can be adjusted to your taste. At times I add vegetables to make this soup a complete meal.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4

　　1/2 cup dried red lentils, picked over, washed, and drained

　　6 1/4 cups water

　　1 teaspoon ground turmeric

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　2 tablespoons vegetable oil

　　10 fresh curry leaves

　　2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

　　Pinch of asafetida

　　One 3-inch-long piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped

　　1 medium tomato, finely chopped

　　1 (12-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk

　　1 tablespoon tamarind paste

　　1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

　　

Step 1

1. Place the lentils, 4 cups water, turmeric, and salt in a large pot and cook over medium-high heat until the lentils are tender, about 30 minutes, frequently skimming off any foam with a spoon.

　　

Step 2

2. In a heavy-bottom pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the curry leaves, stirring until very fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove 4 leaves and reserve for the garnish. To the oil, add the mustard seeds, asafetida, ginger, and tomato and cook until the tomato begins to dry, about 3 minutes. Add the lentils, 2 1/4 cups water, the coconut milk, tamarind, and black pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 3 minutes.

　　

Step 3

3. Season with salt and serve hot, garnished with the fried curry leaves.

　　From Flavors First: An Indian Chef's Culinary Journey by Vikas Khanna. Recipes copyright © 2011 by Vikas Khanna; photography © 2011 Vikas Khanna, Andrew Blackmore-Dobbyn, and Ronnie Bhardwaj. Published by Lake Isle Press.