During our stay in South India, certain regional delicacies became our favorite, tomato garlic rasam is one of those dishes. Rasam is a traditional South Indian soupy, spicy curry prepared using tamarind juice as a base, with the addition of tomato, pepper, garlic, and a spice mix called rasam podi. Homemade Rasam Powder is an essential spice mix to spice up the flavor of a rasam. A piping hot rasam flavored with homemade rasam podi is an excellent remedy for cold, cough, or a bad throat plus it aids in digestion as well.
Homemade vs Readymade
You can use a readymade, packaged rasam powder or make a fresh batch from scratch at home. The best part of homemade rasam podi is it’s free of preservatives and artificial flavors/colors. At home, you can make a small batch of rasam podi or prepare a large quantity to store for months. Also, adjust the quantity of peppercorns and chilies according to personal preference. It is one of the best edible gifts to share with friends and family.
How To Make Rasam Powder
Preparing Ingredients: Clean and sun-dry all the ingredients for 1 – 2 days. Make sure ingredients are fresh, mold-free, and of good quality. Roasting: Dry roast red chili, asafetida, chana dal, peppercorns, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, and toor dal in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat until dals are golden in color. The dry roasting process releases the aroma of the spices as well. Roast ingredients over the low-medium flame while stirring continuously. Grinding: Allow the roasted ingredients to cool down a bit at room temperature. Once the ingredients are lukewarm to touch, grind them to a fine powder in the mixer. The consistency of rasam podi is from coarse to a fine powder-like.
How To Store
I store rasam powder in a ziplock bag or in a container with the lid. If you want to store it for 2 – 3 months, the best place is the freezer door or inside the refrigerator. At room temperature, the shelf life of rasam podi is a maximum of 1 month especially in hot and humid climatic conditions.
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Garam Masala Sambar Masala Pickle Masala Curry Masala Tea Masala For more such fun recipes in your life subscribe to our weekly newsletter or follow us on Instagram and Youtube for video recipes.
