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Home >> Recipes >> South Indian

Lemon rasam | Lemon dal rasam | Nimmakaya pappu charu

By swasthi , on July 4, 2019, 10 Comments, Jump to Recipe

Lemon rasam recipe – Rasam is a thin south Indian soup that is eaten with rice. Lemon rasam is one of the south Indian rasam varieties that is flavored using lemon instead of tamarind. It contains a good amount of protein as there is some amount of dal used. It is light on the tummy, soothing during monsoons due to the lemon and ginger used. It can be served alone with rice and papad or stir fry veggies.

lemon rasam recipe

Rasam along with a vegetable stir fry is a staple food at home for dinner on most weeknights. I do not favor tamarind much in our foods, so this lemon rasam is made more often. I also prepare tomato rasam which is the kids’ favorite too.

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Lemon rasam is not as thick and Sambar but is moderately thin and tastes delicious with a lemon flavor.

The recipe I am sharing is from the Tamil cuisine and is similar to the one made in Andhra cuisine, called as nimmakaya pappu charu in telugu.

There are quite a few variations to this recipe. Some use onions along with tomatoes, but i have used only tomatoes. Some don’t use rasam powder and just use more dal.

But the addition of powder adds an extra flavor. You can use any store bought or homemade powder rasam powder.

how to make lemon rasam

1. Wash and cook ½ cup dal with 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups water till soft.

cooking toor dal in pressure cooker

2. On a medium flame, I cooked for 3 whistles in a pressure pan.

3. When the pressure goes off, mash it to smooth consistency. Set this aside. To make sambar or this rasam, I always pass the dal through a strainer to get smooth dal. I transferred the dal to a bowl and used the same pan further.

mashed dal to smooth

4. Add 4 cups water to a pot along with 1 large chopped or mashed tomato, 2 to 3 tsp rasam powder, a small piece of ginger (optional) and salt.

addition of water to the pot

5. Cook until tomatoes turn soft and mushy. Add the dal to the pot. Stir and check salt. Allow the it to bubble up.

cooking tomatoes until mushy soft

6. Add coriander leaves.

addition of coriander leaves
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7. While the rasam boils, heat a small pan with ghee or oil. Add cumin, mustard, red chili. When they begin to splutter, add curry leaves and fry until they turn crisp. Add hing.

seasoning with tadka spices to make lemon rasam recipe

8. Add the seasoning to the lemon rasam. Boil the lemon rasam for 2 mins. Switch off the stove.

addition of seasoning tadka

9. Squeeze the lemon juice to the pot. Stir well. Some lemons lend a bitter taste when added to hot foods (green lemons). If you have such problem, cool down the rasam a bit and then add the lemon juice.

addition of fresh juice
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Serve lemon rasam with rice and a vegetable stir fry.

lemon rasam recipe

I usually make some vegetable stir fry to serve with this lemon rasam. Here are some you may want to check.

Bhindi fry
Brinjal fry
Potato fry
Bottle gourd stir fry
Mushroom pepper fry

Lemon rasam recipe

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Lemon rasam recipe | Lemon dal rasam | Nimmakaya pappu charu

Lemon rasam is a south Indian soup made with lentils, tomatoes and lemon. It can enjoyed as a soup or served with idli, plain rice and some stir fried veggies.
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For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card

Prep Time3 minutes
Cook Time22 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings5
AuthorSwasthi

Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )

  • ½ cup toor dal or split pigeon peas
  • 1½ cups water for dal

Ingredients for lemon rasam

  • 4 cups water
  • 1 large tomato or 2 small
  • 1 ginger small piece (optional)
  • salt as needed
  • 1 pinch turmeric
  • ¾ tbsp rasam powder (adjust to suit your taste)
  • 1 handful coriander leaves chopped

Tempering ingredients

  • 1 tbsp ghee or oil
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • ½ tsp mustard
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 1 pinch methi seeds (optional)
  • 1 red chilli broken
  • 1 pinch hing or asafoetida
  • lemon juice from 1 large lemon (adjust as needed)
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Instructions

Preparation

  • Add dal to a bowl and rinse it well. Then drain the water and pour 1.5 cups water.
  • Place it in the cooker and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles on a medium flame.
  • Dal must be soft cooked. When the pressure releases remove the dal and mash it well to smooth.

How to make lemon rasam

  • While the dal cooks, pour 4 cups water, tomatoes, turmeric, rasam powder, crushed ginger to a pot.
  • Cook until the tomatoes are soft cooked and mushy.
  • Next add the mashed dal and bring it to a boil. Add coriander leaves too.

Tempering lemon rasam

  • Heat a pan and add oil or ghee. When it is hot, add mustard, cumin, methi seeds and red chilies.
  • When the seeds begin to crackle, add curry leaves. Add hing. Pour it to the lemon rasam.
  • Boil the rasam for 2 mins on a very low flame.
  • Allow the rasam to cool down a bit then squeeze off lemon as needed. Adjust salt as well.
  • Serve lemon rasam with rice or enjoy as a soup.
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Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.

For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.

NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)

Nutrition Facts
Lemon rasam recipe | Lemon dal rasam | Nimmakaya pappu charu
Amount Per Serving
Calories 100 Calories from Fat 18
% Daily Value*
Fat 2g3%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 5mg2%
Sodium 22mg1%
Potassium 233mg7%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 6g25%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 115IU2%
Vitamin C 22.9mg28%
Calcium 23mg2%
Iron 2.1mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?Mention @SwasthisRecipes or tag #swasthisrecipes!

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Lemon rasam | Lemon dal rasam | Nimmakaya pappu charu
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About swasthi

I’m Swasthi shreekanth, the recipe developer, food photographer & food writer behind Swasthis recipes. My aim is to help you cook great Indian food with my time-tested recipes. After 2 decades of experience in practical Indian cooking I started this blog to help people cook better & more often at home. Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook I am sure Swasthi’s Recipes will assist you to enhance your cooking skills.
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10 Comments
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Tanusree
October 10, 2020 8:36 am

5 stars
Incredibly tasty rasam with the goodness of daal.. prepared cabbage fry along with lemon rasam… turned out to be a simple but delicious lunch.

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Tanusree
October 11, 2020 12:53 pm

Glad to know Tanu!
🙂

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andy
June 8, 2017 1:39 am

5 stars
what is your homemade rasam powder?

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  andy
June 8, 2017 2:24 am

Hi Andy
I use this homemade rasam powder

Reply
raji
August 26, 2015 5:16 am

5 stars
Very tasty rasam thank u

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  raji
August 26, 2015 5:55 am

Welcome Raji

Reply
Anu
August 18, 2015 3:14 am

5 stars
Thanks for the rasam as well as vundrallu recipie. Pictures are really good.
Hope I can also make them as delicious looking as yours.

Reply
swasthi
Reply to  Anu
August 18, 2015 3:22 am

Welcome Anu.
Would love to know how they turned out. I am sure you will be able to make them as good as mine. Thanks for the feedback.

Reply
neela manogar
May 26, 2015 1:15 pm

A tangy and tasty super rasam looks so tempting.

Reply
suchitra
May 25, 2015 2:15 pm

5 stars
Lovely pics Thanks for the good recipe Tried ur chicken kurma yest. Turned out fab

Reply

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