Elumichai Pazham Rasam Recipe | How to make Lemon Rasam | GF and Vegan

Name: Elumichai Pazham Rasam Recipe | How to make Lemon Rasam
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup Cooked Toor dal (Thuvaram paruppu / pigeon peas); 1/4 tsp Turmeric; 3 cups Hot water; 2 TBSP Lemon juice (adjust tang); 1 tsp oil (or sub with ghee); 1 tsp Salt (or to taste); 1 tsp Mustard seeds; 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera); 2 dry red chillies (broken); 1 sprig curry leaves; 1 tsp chopped coriander leaves (chopped)

Published: Apr 5, 2016 · Modified: May 3, 2025 by Kalyani · This post may contain affiliate links · 38 Comments

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Lemon Rasam or Elumichai Pazham Rasam is a quick and comforting lentil broth with lemon. Served as an appetiser or with steamed rice/ millets for lunch.

Sometimes, after a heavy food binge or perhaps in cold weather, one craves for simple fuss-free food ... on such days, for most of us at home, its Rasam (or a quick lentil broth) which can be sipped as soup as well as had with piping hot rice / cooked Lapsi. Elumichai Pazham (or lemon) rasam a.k.a Nimbehannina Saaru (in kannada) is a quick savior that you can put together for a meal.

Can be made in a jiffy if you have cooked dal (lentils) at home : it takes max 10 mins to put this together while the rest of the meal is prepped. I served it with a simple dish of steamed rice, steamed broccoli stir fry. Goes well with pickle and papad too.

4 reasons to love this Lemon Rasam (Elumichai Pazham Rasam).

Simple, satvic (no onion/ garlic) + no tomatoes too (although some households add this)
Super quick and comforting, gets ready in under 10 mins with some prep
No need to add Rasam Powder / any spice powder
Perfect for young kids, geriatrics, convalesence or a quick meal prep after a long, tiring day!

Lemom Rasam or Elumichai Pazham Rasam is a quick and comforting lentil broth with lemon. Served as an appetiser or with steamed rice/ millets for lunch.

Other varieties of Rasam we make at home are:

Kollu Rasam Recipe | How to make Kollu Rasam | ಹುರಳಿ ಕಟ್ಟಿನ ಸಾರು | Horsegram spicy broth

Kollu Rasam is a flavourful spicy broth (rasam) made with soaked and cooked Horsegram and spices. Served as a soup or with steamed rice

Check out this recipe

Onion Rasam | Vengaya Rasam | வெங்காய ரசம் | Onion in spicy tomato broth

Onion Rasam or Vengaya Rasam is a delicious and soothing accompaniment to hot steamed rice in South Indian Cuisine. Also, enjoyed as an appetizer or soup too.

Check out this recipe

Mysore Rasam, Vettalai Rasam (betel leaves Rasam) Garlic Rasam (Poondu Rasam) Jeeraga Milagu Rasam (Cumin-pepper Spicy Rasam) Poricha Rasam (Spiced lentil rasam) , Tomato Rasam etc are other varieties of Rasam usually made at home.

What can be served with this Lemon Rasam:

Any form of stir fry / Poriyal / Thoran or veg Kootu along with steamed rice / quinoa / Cooked millets is served. My mom loves it with Vazhai Thandu Usli (tender Banana stem stir fry). My elder one loves this rasam + rice with lemon pickle while I love this with Podalangai Paal kootu🙂

Let's see how this Elumichai Rasam is made at my place...

Elumichai Rasam - Lemony broth (Rasam) |

Gluten Free Lentil broth flavoured with Lemon (can be made vegan too)

Prep time : 10 mins, cook time : 10 mins | Serves : 4

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Ingredients to make Elumichai Rasam / Lemon Rasam:

¼ cup Cooked Toor dal ( Thuvaram paruppu / pigeon peas)
¼ teaspoon Turmeric
3 cups Hot water
2 tablespoon Lemon juice (adjust tang)
1 teaspoon oil (or sub with ghee)
1 teaspoon Salt (or to taste)
Tempering :
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
2 dry red chillies (broken)
1 sprig curry leaves
1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves (chopped)

How to make Elumichai Rasam / Lemon Rasam:

Soak dal and pressure cook Toor dal with turmeric and a drop of oil till mushy - takes 3 to 4 whistles in the cooker. If you have cooked moong / toor dal (cooked pigeon pea dal / split yellow gram), skip this step and proceed.
Mash the dal well with the hot water.
In a pan, add the mashed dal broth, salt and let it come to a rolling boil.
Make the tempering with ghee / oil and all the tempering ingredients. Add to the boiling rasam and switch off.
Transfer to a serving bowl, add in the lemon juice and mix well.
PS: Once you add the lemon, the rasam cannot be re-heated as it would turn bitter. So add accordingly just before serving.
Serve hot with steamed rice, pickle / papad and a simple stir fry like Podalangai Poodi Thooval

Lemon Rasam or Elumichai Pazham Rasam is a quick and comforting lentil broth with lemon. Served as an appetiser or with steamed rice/ millets for lunch.

Elumichai Pazham Rasam Recipe | How to make Lemon Rasam

Kalyani

Lemon Rasam or Elumichai Pazham Rasam is a quick and comforting lentil broth with lemon. Served as an appetiser or with steamed rice/ millets for lunch.

5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Course Accompaniment

Cuisine South Indian, Tambrahm, Tamilnadu Cusine

Servings servings

Equipment

Pressure Cooker Opt : use instant pot / open pot to cook the lentils
Thick Bottomed Pan
Ladle

Ingredients

¼ cup Cooked Toor dal Thuvaram paruppu / pigeon peas
¼ teaspoon Turmeric
3 cups Hot water
2 tablespoon Lemon juice adjust tang
1 teaspoon oil or sub with ghee
1 teaspoon Salt or to taste
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
½ teaspoon cumin seeds jeera
2 dry red chillies broken
1 sprig curry leaves
1 teaspoon chopped coriander leaves chopped

Instructions

Soak dal and pressure cook Toor dal with turmeric and a drop of oil till mushy - takes 3 to 4 whistles in the cooker. If you have cooked moong / toor dal (cooked pigeon pea dal / split yellow gram), skip this step and proceed.
Mash the dal well with the hot water.
In a pan, add the mashed dal broth, salt and let it come to a rolling boil.
Make the tempering with ghee / oil and all the tempering ingredients. Add to the boiling rasam and switch off.
Transfer to a serving bowl, add in the lemon juice and mix well.
PS: Once you add the lemon, the rasam cannot be re-heated as it would turn bitter. So add accordingly just before serving.
Serve hot with steamed rice, pickle / papad and a simple stir fry like Podalangai Poodi Thooval