Thakkali(tomato) Soup/Masala Rasam - Tanjore Style

Thakkali soup aka masala rasam is a flavorful,slightly tangy soup infused with the coconut milk.This soup goes very well with the steaming rice accompanied with some spicy vegetable fry.
I have no idea why it is called as soup and its a thinner version of kurma.But this soup no way resembles the tomato soup which is served as an appetizer.
This soup can be made with or without dhal stock like rasam as we prefer later,made it without that one.Lets get into the recipe..................

 Ingredients

Shallots(finely sliced )	8-10
Tomato	2(large size)
Garlic/poondu	3 cloves
Green chilly	4
Coconut(grated)	1/4cup
Turmeric powder/manjal podi	1/8tsp
Curry leaves/karivepillai	1 sprig
Coriander leaves(chopped)	as needed
Salt	11/2tsp
Oil	1tbs

For the seasoning

Cloves/lavangam	5
Cinnamon/pattai	1inch piece
Star anise	2 petals
Fennel seeds/sombu	1/8tsp

Method

Cook the tomatoes with enough water till it becomes soft.Once it becomes cool down peel the skin on the tomato and blend it well in a blender to fine paste.If there is any water left keep it.
Then grind the coconut to fine paste and extract the milk.Pound the garlic and green chillies together to a coarse paste,set it aside.

• Heat a pan with oil and crackle the fennel seeds,then  add the other spices.Add the curry leaves then saute the sliced shallots for a minute.Now add in the crushed garlic and green chilly,saute it.
• Add in the ground tomato paste and the water left after boiling the tomatoes or regular water

• Now add the salt and turmeric powder,let it boil for5-6 minutes.Add in the chopped coriander leaves and coconut milk at this point.Cook it for one boil and put off the fire.

• Serve it with steaming hot rice along with some spicy vegetable fry.

Enjoy................................... 

• If the sourness is not enough after put off the fire add a tsp of lemon juice.
• Instead of coconut milk,finely ground coconut paste can be used.
• The dhal stock needs to be added before put off the fire and it doesn't need to boil.
• Use well ripe tomatoes to get a nice color and sour taste.

Posted in: Sambhar/Kuzhambu/Rasam