This Karnataka-style Tomato Saaru is a comforting South Indian staple dish made with ripe tomatoes, coconut milk, and aromatic spices. This flavorful saaru pairs perfectly with hot steamed rice and ghee.
Today, I'm sharing my mother-in-law's Tomato Saaru recipe. A comforting Karnataka-style dish that has become a favorite in our family.
My husband could happily eat this saaru 365 days a year! These family recipes are so special because they carry not just flavors, but also beautiful memories.
Every time she made it, you could truly taste the love and care she put into cooking.
This simple, flavorful saaru is made with ripe tomatoes, toor dal, tamarind, homemade saarina pudi (rasam powder), and aromatic spices, with a tempering of ghee, mustard seeds, cumin, curry leaves, and hing.
She also liked adding a little coconut milk at the end. It's completely optional, but it adds a lovely richness and takes the flavor to another level. Serve this delicious saaru with instant pot steamed sona masoori rice and a dollop of homemade ghee for a comforting South Indian meal.
I'll be sharing my homemade Saaru Pudi recipe soon, so stay tuned! Meanwhile, you can use any rasam powder you have at home.
How to Make Tomato Saaru
Add ½ cup rinsed toor dal and 2 cups water to the pressure cooker. Close the lid and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally before opening the lid.
Once the dal has cooled, whisk it well. Add 2 cups of water and mix well.
Note: You can strain the cooked dal if you prefer a smoother, more velvety texture, but it is completely optional.
Heat 1-2 tablespoons ghee in a kadai. Add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds and ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, and let them splutter. Then add 1 stalk curry leaves and 1 big pinch hing (asafoetida) and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
Add 1 cup of chopped tomatoes (about 2 medium tomatoes), and salt. Cook until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
Next, add 2-3 tablespoons of tamarind water (or tamarind paste) and cook for another minute.
Add 1.5-2 tablespoons of saarina pudi / rasam pudi (powder), ½ teaspoon turmeric, and ½ teaspoon red chili powder (optional). Mix everything well.
Add the dal water, ½ teaspoon jaggery (optional but recommended), and bring the saaru to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
Then add ¼ cup thick coconut milk (or ½ cup thin coconut milk), mix well, simmer for 1 minute on low flame, and turn off the heat. Garnish with 2 tablespoons coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Tomato Coconut Saaru hot with steamed rice, ghee, and a side of vegetable stir-fry, such as carrot beans poriyal, for a comforting and delicious South Indian meal. It also makes a delicious side dish with idli, dosa, or poha.
You can also enjoy it as a comforting soup on cold winter nights.
Expert Tips
- Adding coconut milk enhances the saaru flavor. So dont skip it.
- If you prefer a thinner consistency, you can add more water.
- Tomato Saru can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Freezes very well for 2-3 months.
More Karnataka Style Recipes
Tomato Saaru with Coconut Milk (Mother-in-Law's Recipe)
Ingredients
For Pressure Cooking
- ½ cup toor dal rinsed
- 2 cups water to cook
- 2 cups water to thin the dal
For Rasam
- 1-2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 1 pinch asafetida(hing)
- 1 cup tomato finely chopped (about 2 medium tomatoes)
- salt to taste
- 2-3 tablespoons tamarind extract
- 1.5-2 tablespoons saarina pudi (any rasam powder)
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder optional
- ½ teaspoon jaggery
- ¼ cup thick coconut milk (or ½ cup of thick coconut milk)
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves finely chopped
Instructions
- Add ½ cup rinsed toor dal and 2 cups water to the pressure cooker. Close the lid and pressure cook for 3-4 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally before opening the lid.
- Once the dal has cooled, whisk it well. Add 2 cups of water and mix well.Note: You can strain the cooked dal if you prefer a smoother, more velvety texture, but it is completely optional.
- Heat ghee in a kadai. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, and let them splutter. Then add curry leaves and hing (asafoetida) and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
- Add 1 cup of chopped tomatoes (about 2 medium tomatoes), and salt. Cook until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy.
- Next, add tamarind water (or tamarind paste) and cook for another minute.
- Add rasam pudi (powder), turmeric, and red chili powder (optional). Mix everything well.
- Add the prepared dal water, jaggery (optional but recommended), and bring the saaru to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
- Then add ¼ cup thick coconut milk (or ½ cup thin coconut milk), mix well, simmer for 1 minute on low flame, and turn off the heat. Garnish with 2 tablespoons coriander leaves and serve hot with steamed rice.
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