What it is
Rasam powder is the peppery cousin of sambar powder. Where sambar powder is coriander-and-dal heavy, rasam powder leads with black pepper and cumin, the warming, slightly pungent notes that make rasam the traditional South Indian remedy for a cold or a heavy stomach.
Around them sit coriander, a little toor dal for body, dried chilli and curry leaves, roasted and ground fine.
The blend
Makes a small jar. Pepper and cumin lead, keep them generous, that is what makes it rasam powder and not sambar powder.
- Coriander seeds3 tbsp
- Black peppercorns · the lead2 tbsp
- Cumin seeds · the lead2 tbsp
- Toor dal · for body2 tbsp
- Dried chilli4
- Curry leavesa sprig
The high proportion of pepper and cumin is the whole point. This is a warming, peppery blend, not a chilli-hot one.
How to make it
1 · Dry-roast over low heat
Warm the coriander, pepper, cumin, toor dal and chilli until fragrant and the dal turns golden. Crisp the curry leaves briefly.
2 · Cool completely
Let everything cool before grinding so the powder stays dry.
3 · Grind fine
Grind to a fine powder, sieving out and re-grinding any coarse dal.
4 · Store airtight
Keep dry and airtight; it stays fragrant for a couple of months.
Stir 1 to 2 teaspoons into the tamarind-and-tomato base as the rasam comes to a gentle simmer, do not boil it hard, or the fresh aroma is lost.
Why these spices
The lead spices are the medicine-cabinet ones: black pepper and cumin are warming and mildly decongestant, which is exactly why a bowl of hot, peppery rasam is the classic comfort for a cold or blocked nose. The toor dal adds a little body to a thin soup, and roasting develops the aroma. Because those pepper and cumin aromatics are volatile, rasam is simmered gently, never boiled long.
The honest note
Just spices with a little dal, nothing to caveat, and the peppery warmth is a genuine, if gentle, comfort when you are under the weather. As always, freshly roasted and ground beats the jarred version, where the pepper has usually gone flat.