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beginner, Diabetic friendly, Easy Indian Cooking, Glutenfree, Healthy, Lentils, Lunch, Meals in Bowls, Pressure Cooker Recipes, Tamil Brahmin Recipes, Vegan, vegetarian

Ginger Rasam | Inji Rasam | Lentil Ginger Soup

August 6, 2016

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A recipe for Ginger Rasam / Easy South Indian style lentil soup with ginger

ginger-rasam-lentil-soup

There are not too many recipes where fresh ginger root is the main ingredient. There is the Puli-inji, a tamarind and ginger based condiment, or the ginger thokku which is a spicy pickle. I do feel all out of sorts if my fridge doesn’t stalk fresh ginger as I need it for my tea, come hell or high water. And that, my friends, is the reason, I end up ordering way too much. Like half a kilo at a time !

Watch the video recipe for Ginger Rasam

When half a kilo of ginger stares back at you each time you open the door of the refrigerator, you can’t help but put it to good use in a recipe where the flavours really shine.

For the uninitiated, rasam is a very thin soup, traditionally made using the ‘stock’ that you get after cooking lentils. Alternatively, you can blend some cooked lentils with water to get a thin lentil soup base to prepare a rasam. It is not as thick as a usual dal. Tamarind or tomatoes provide the tanginess, and a special spice powder brings in flavour. A tempering of cumin seeds and curry leaves in ghee adds to the aroma.

This Ginger Rasam I’m sharing with you today is not a traditional family recipe, mind you. I don’t remember my grandma, mum or aunt having made this ever. But it makes good use of ginger and the heat from the ginger and pepper provide relief if you’re down with the sniffles.

This is completely a Bangalore weather inspired recipe. These days, the grey skies are forever threatening-to-rain and a bowl of hot ginger rasam, rice and ghee feels like the ultimate comfort food. The rasam is slightly thicker than it usually is (like someone on Twitter saw the pic I had posted and promptly pointed out). It works well as a soup too.

ginger-rasam-lentil-soup

Ginger Rasam - Ginger and Lentil Soup

A recipe for Ginger Rasam / Easy South Indian style lentil soup with ginger, goes best with steaming hot rice and ghee, and a stir fried veggie on the side.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 55 minutes mins
Servings: 3 serving
Course: soups stews
Cuisine: south indian
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1/3 cup lentils yellow (Tur Dal)
  • 1 green chilli
  • 2 tbsps ginger peeled and thinly shredded fresh root
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric ground
  • 1 tsp tamarind paste
for the spice powder
  • 8 - 10 black peppercorns whole
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 red chilli dried
for tempering
  • 1 - 2 tsps ghee
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 sprig curry leaves

Method
 

  1. Wash the tur dal well. Soak the dal in water for 30 minutes.
  2. Pressure cook the dal with the green chilli, turmeric and ginger along with 2 cups water. [Watch : How to pressure cook dal]
  3. Meanwhile, in a small pan, dry roast the peppercorns, cumin seeds and red chillies for 5-6 minutes on a low heat, until aromatic. Wait for it to cool. Crush it to a coarse powder using a mortar-pestle or in the spice grinder.
  4. Once the pressure cooker has cooled, open the lid, discard the green chilli and puree the dal with the turmeric and ginger, using a stick blender or the mixer.
  5. Return this to a pan, add around 3/4 cup of water. Bring this to a simmer on a medium heat. Add the turmeric paste spice powder, salt, give it a good stir and allow this to simmer for 3-4 minutes, until it starts foaming on the surface. Remove this from flame.
  6. In a small tempering ladle / pan, heat ghee. Add the cumin seeds and curry leaves. Once the seeds splutter, transfer this over the rasam and keep covered until ready to serve.

Serving suggestion -Lunch Menu:

  • Ginger Rasam
  • Crispy Okra
  • Potato Curry
  • Cucumber
  • Rice
ginger-rasam-lunch-menu

 

I’d love to know if you try this recipe. Share it on Twitter / Instagram and tag me @saffrontrail 🙂

Like what you see here? Stay connected with me on Instagram, Facebook, BlogLovin’ and Pinterest.

[wpurp-searchable-recipe]Ginger Rasam – Ginger and Lentil Soup – A recipe for Ginger Rasam / Easy South Indian style lentil soup with ginger, goes best with steaming hot rice and ghee, and a stir fried veggie on the side. – yellow lentils (Tur Dal), green chilli, peeled and thinly shredded fresh ginger root, ground turmeric, tamarind paste, for the spice powder: whole black peppercorns, cumin seeds, dried red chilli, for tempering: ghee, cumin seeds, curry leaves, Wash the tur dal well. Soak the dal in water for 30 minutes.; Pressure cook the dal with the green chilli, turmeric and ginger along with 2 cups water. [Watch : How to pressure cook dal]; Meanwhile, in a small pan, dry roast the peppercorns, cumin seeds and red chillies for 5-6 minutes on a low heat, until aromatic. Wait for it to cool. Crush it to a coarse powder using a mortar-pestle or in the spice grinder.; Once the pressure cooker has cooled, open the lid, discard the green chilli and puree the dal with the turmeric and ginger, using a stick blender or the mixer.; Return this to a pan, add around 3/4 cup of water. Bring this to a simmer on a medium heat. Add the turmeric paste spice powder, salt, give it a good stir and allow this to simmer for 3-4 minutes, until it starts foaming on the surface. Remove this from flame.; In a small tempering ladle / pan, heat ghee. Add the cumin seeds and curry leaves. Once the seeds splutter, transfer this over the rasam and keep covered until ready to serve.; [/wpurp-searchable-recipe]
Ayurvedic ginger lentils Tamil
by Nandita Iyer 
2 Comments

About Nandita Iyer

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Comments

  1. JS says: August 14, 2016 at 12:50 am

    This came out really well. I almost wished I had a cold when I ate it, because it’s perfect comfort food, as you say in your post.

    Reply
  2. Vinya says: August 5, 2017 at 10:43 am

    Very well presented video :). I cant wait to try it. Thank you.

    Reply

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