Mysore Rasam is a spiced and delicious rasam variety from the Karnataka cuisine - made with lentils, ground spices and coconut. Here I share both the recipes for mysore rasam and the mysore rasam powder that you can easily scale up and make a large batch to store and refrigerate/freeze.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 20 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Karnataka, South Indian

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons ghee ((clarified butter) or oil)
  • 1 teaspoon chana dal ((husked and split bengal gram))
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
  • ⅛ teaspoon fenugreek seeds ((methi dana) or about 30 fenugreek seeds)
  • 1 to 2 byadagi red chillies (seeds removed - can use other variety of low to medium hot dry red chilies)
  • 5 to 6 curry leaves
  • 1 pinch asafoetida ((hing))
  • ¼ cup fresh grated coconut (- can also use desiccated coconut. read point 1 in notes)
  • ⅓ cup arhar dal ((tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils) - 80 grams)
  • 1 pinch turmeric powder
  • 1.5 cups water (- for pressure cooking)
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind ((tightly packed) - 12 grams)
  • ⅓ cup hot water (- for soaking tamarind)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 tomato (medium to large - 90 grams or ½ cup chopped or diced tomatoes)
  • 2 cups water
  • salt (as required)
  • ½ tablespoon ghee (or oil)
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 sprig curry leaves (- 10 to 12 curry leaves)
  • 1 pinch asafoetida ((hing))
  • 1 to 2 byadagi red chillies (or any dry red chili, seeds removed)
  • 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves ((cilantro))

Method

Pressure cooking lentils

  1. First rinse the arhar dal (tuvar dal or pigeon pea lentils) for a couple of times.
  2. Then add the lentils in a 2 litre pressure cooker. Also add a pinch of turmeric powder and 1.5 cups water.
  3. Pressure cook tuvar dal for 7 to 8 whistles or 11 to 12 minutes on medium heat, till the lentils are completely cooked and softened.
  4. When the pressure falls down of its own, then only remove the lid. Check the doneness of the dal. Mash the dal with a spoon or ladle and set aside.

Making tamarind pulp

  1. Soak 1 tablespoon tightly packed tamarind in ⅓ cup hot water for 20 to 30 minutes.
  2. After 20 to 30 minutes, squeeze and extract the tamarind pulp in the water. Set aside.

Making mysore rasam powder

  1. Now keep all the spices ready. Heat ½ tablespoon ghee in a pan. Add chana dal and on a low heat fry chana dal till light golden.
  2. Next add coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds (methi seeds) and whole black pepper, dry red chilies, curry leaves and asafoetida.
  3. Mix well and roast for 2 to 3 minutes on a low heat stirring continuously till you get a nice fragrant aroma from the whole spices.
  4. Then add grated fresh coconut. You can also use desiccated coconut instead of fresh coconut.
  5. Mix very well with the remaining spices and saute for 1 to 2 minutes on a low heat.
  6. Let this rasam masala mixture cool down or become warm.
  7. Then add all the whole spices and coconut in a grinder jar.
  8. Without adding water, grind to a fine powder.

Making mysore rasam

  1. Take a pan and strain the tamarind pulp into it using a tea strainer. You can also add tamarind pulp directly if there are less fibers in it.
  2. Add 2 cups water to the tamarind pulp in the pan and mix.
  3. Keep the pan on stovetop and on a low to medium flame, heat the tamarind solution till its raw aroma and flavor goes away. Simmer for about 5 to 6 minutes.
  4. Then add chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder.
  5. Cover the pan with a lid and cook till the tomatoes are softened. Cook for about 8 to 9 minutes on a low heat.
  6. Once the tomatoes have softened, then add the ground mysore rasam powder and mashed dal. Mix well.
  7. Season with salt as per taste.
  8. Mix and simmer rasam on a medium-low heat for about 3 minutes. Cover the pan and set aside.

Tempering for mysore rasam

  1. Heat ½ tablespoon ghee in a small pan or tadka pan.
  2. When the ghee melts and becomes hot, then lower the flame. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle.
  3. Once the mustard seeds begin to crackle, then add 1 sprig curry leaves, 1 to 2 dry red chilies and a pinch of asafoetida.
  4. Stir and fry till the red chilies change color. Then switch off the heat.
  5. Pour all of the tempered ingredients in the rasam.
  6. Cover with a lid and keep aside for 5 to 6 minutes.
  7. Lastly add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves and mix.
  8. Serve Mysore Rasam hot with steamed rice.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.