Rasam, chaaru, saaru or kabir is a South Indian soup,[1] traditionally

prepared using tamarind juice as a base, with the addition of tomato, chili
pepper, pepper, cumin and other spices as seasonings. Steamed lentils can
be added along with any preferred vegetables.[2] Nowadays, all the seasonings
required are combined and ground beforehand into rasam powder, which is
available commercially. Chilled prepared versions are also marketed
commercially.[3][4]

It is eaten with rice or separately as a spicy soup. In a traditional meal, it can

be part of a course which includes sambarrice and curd rice. Rasam has a
distinct taste in comparison to the sambar due to its own seasoning
ingredients and is usually fluid in consistency.

Contents
[hide]

1History
2Ingredients
3Types
4See also
5References

History[edit]
In Tamil, rasam () means "taste" and "juice". It can refer to any juice,
but rasam commonly refers to soup prepared with tamarind or tomato juice
with added spices and garnish. Saaru in Kannada or chaaru in Telugu means
"essence" and, by extension, "juice" or "soup".

Ingredients[edit]
Rasam is prepared mainly with tamarind or tomato as the base along with
cumin, black pepper and dry chilli powder as flavoring ingredients. All of these
ingredients are abundant in South India.

Types[edit]
Different kinds of rasam are listed below with its main ingredients in the Tamil
language:
 Koli Saaru - chicken
Kadalai Saaru - black chickpeas
Venkaaya Saaru - onion
Kattu saaru - lentils and Byadgi chillies
Tili saaru - sieving water from plain rice
Thakkaali Rasam - tomato puree
Poondu Rasam - garlic
Inji Rasam - ginger
Mudakathaan Rasam - balloon vine
Maangaa Rasam - Raw mango/ Semi ripe Mango Rasam
Elumichai Rasam - lemon juice
Nellikkai Rasam - Indian gooseberry
Murungai Poo Rasam - drumstick flower
Vepam Poo Rasam - neem flower
Kandathippili rasam - greens
Bassaaru/Kattu saaru - boiled vegetables/greens/lentils
Milagu Rasam (Mulligatawny) - black pepper
Jeeraga Rasam - cumin
Pineapple Rasam/Beetroot Rasam - respective fruits/beet
Puli Rasam - tamarind extract
Hesaru Kaalu Saaru - Green gram
Parupu Rasam / Pappu Saaru - pulses and tomato stock
Baellae Saaru - pigeon pea lentil
Kattina Saaru - jaggery
Kollu Rasam, Hurali saaru, Kudu Saaru, or Ulava Saaru - horse gram
Mysore Rasam - fried grams/lentils[5]