Actress Deepika Padukone is a self-confessed foodie. The fighter star has talked about her favourite food items several times, even revealing that she is something of a chef herself and loves to cook for herself and her husband Ranveer Singh. She loves various dishes like Bhutanese ema datshi, dosa and chocolate-based desserts. But when it comes to comfort food, she loves ghar ka rasam rice. Here is a simple recipe to recreate Deepika’s favourite homemade rasam rice at home.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of rice (preferably short-grain rice like sona masuri)
• 3 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped
• 1 small piece of tamarind (about the size of a marble)
• 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
• 2-3 dried red chillies
• 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon of ghee or oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
• A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• A few curry leaves
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method

• Wash the rice thoroughly and cook it in a rice cooker or on the stovetop according to your preferred method. Once cooked, cover the rice and set it aside.
• Soak the tamarind in warm water for about 15 minutes to soften it. Then, squeeze the tamarind to extract its pulp. Strain the pulp to remove any seeds or fibres and set the tamarind extract aside.
• In a blender or food processor, combine the chopped tomatoes, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, dried red chillies, and minced garlic. Blend until you get a smooth paste.
• Heat the ghee or oil in a deep pan or kadhai over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and let them splutter. Then, add the asafoetida and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds.
• Pour the blended tomato paste into the pan and cook it for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the raw smell disappears, and the mixture thickens slightly.
• Next, add the strained tamarind extract to the pan along with salt to taste. Stir well to combine and let the mixture simmer for another 5 minutes to allow the flavours to meld together.
• If the rasam is too thick, add some water to achieve your desired consistency. Remember that rasam should be slightly thin and soupy in texture.
• To serve, place a serving of cooked rice in a bowl and ladle the hot rasam over it. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves for a burst of freshness and flavour.
• Mix the rice and rasam together thoroughly before savouring each spoonful of this delightful and comforting dish. Serve hot and enjoy the heartwarming flavours of authentic rasam rice!