Kolhapuri Tambda Rassa is a spicy red curry from Kolhapur in Maharashtra, known for its deep red color and spicy flavor. Traditionally made with mutton stock, this authentic Kolhapuri rassa gets its depth from slow-cooked broth and kanda-lasun masala. I make a quicker chicken version at home while keeping that traditional taste. Often served as part of a Kolhapuri thali, the rassa is enjoyed as a thin, spicy broth with bhakri or rice.
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An authentic Tambda Rassa recipe is made with mutton stock. That stock gives deep flavour and natural richness. The heat comes from Kolhapuri masala, kanda-lasun masala, and red chillies. It is thin, spicy, and served like a side curry. You sip it like soup or mix it with rice or bhakri. Love Kolhapuri recipes? Try our Kolhapuri chicken curry and Kolhapuri chicken sukka next.
Most Maharashtrian curries are medium spicy and coconut-based. Tambda Rassa is thinner, spicier, and more stock-driven. It is sharp, fiery, and meant to wake up your taste buds. Not for someone who can't handle spicy curries.
Tambda rassa is popular for its bright red color, flavor, and spiciness, which it gets from Kolhapuri chilies. This rassa is not only spicy, but it also has a strong non-vegetarian flavor. Other Maharashtrian recipes you might like are our Maharashtrian chicken sukka and Malvani chicken curry.
About Tambda Rassa Recipe
When I first tasted Tambda Rassa in Kolhapur, it was part of a spicy Kolhapuri thali at a small local restaurant. The thali had tambda rassa, pandhra rassa, and a dry kolhapuri chicken sukka served on the side.
I loved the spicy flavour and knew I had to recreate it at home. My first attempt without kanda-lasun masala tasted flat, but once I used the right masala, the rassa had that true Kolhapuri taste. Everyone at home loved it.
This is not an everyday curry in most Marathi homes. It is usually made for Sunday meals, guests, or meat feasts. You will often see it in traditional Kolhapuri thalis or on special occasions in Kolhapur.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fast and easy: I tested both mutton-style and chicken-style versions. Chicken cooks faster but still keeps the traditional taste, making it perfect for home cooks.
- Authentic Kolhapuri flavors: Uses real Kolhapuri masala ratios and kanda-lasun masala, so the rassa is bold, spicy, and flavorful.
- Simple but rich flavors: Looks simple and thin, but it packs a strong, aromatic punch and flavor. Perfect with bhakri, roti, or rice without feeling heavy.
- Sukka bonus: Half of the masala and the chicken from the stock can be reused to make Kolhapuri chicken sukka. Nothing goes to waste, and you get two delicious dishes from one recipe for a true Kolhapuri meal.
Kolhapuri Tambda rassa and Pandhra rassa are popular dishes in Maharashtrian cuisine. Both are prepared with chicken or mutton stock.
- Kolhapuri Tambda Rassa: Tambda means red color, and rassa is the term used for the gravy. It is a hot and spicy red-colored gravy.
- Kolhapuri Pandhra Rassa: Pandhra means white color, and rassa means gravy. It is white-colored gravy made with coconut milk and is not spicy.
Ingredients Notes
Tambda rassa is a traditional Maharashtrian recipe with layered flavours. For the detailed list of ingredients & their measurements, please check out the recipe card below.
- Meat: Traditionally, it is made with mutton or lamb meat, but you can also use chicken. Fresh chicken with bones works best. Bones give better stock and taste.
- Poppy seeds: Skip if you do not have them. They add thickness and flavor to rassa.
- Kanda-lasun masala: Also known as Kolhapuri chutney or onion-garlic chutney. This Kolhapuri rassa is incomplete without the masala. You can purchase it online. It adds a unique flavor and aroma to this Kolhapuri dish.
How to make Tambda Rassa
Marinate the chicken
1) In a mixer/blender jar, add 12 garlic cloves, 1-inch ginger, 2 green chilies, and 2 tablespoon water. Grind it to a fine paste.
2) In a mixing bowl, marinate the chicken with the prepared paste, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, and salt to taste. Keep it aside.
Preparing the stock
3) Heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add onions. Cook until onions are golden.
4) Add marinated chicken. Cook until the color of the chicken turns from pink to white. It might take 5 minutes.
5) Add 6 cups of hot water. Combine. Cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is cooked.
Preparing the watan (masala)
6) Meanwhile, the chicken is cooking, so let’s prepare the Watan (masala). Roast 1 cup of dry coconut on low heat until golden. Remove it to a plate. Let it cool down.
7) In the same pan, add 2 tablespoon coriander seeds,1 teaspoon cumin, 4 cloves, 1-inch cinnamon, 1-star anise, 4 green cardamoms, 1 petal of Javitri, 6 black peppercorns, and 1 bay leaf. Dry roast on low heat until aromatic. Add 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds (khus khus). Dry roast for a minute. Immediately remove it to the same plate to cool down to room temperature.
8) Heat 2 teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until lightly golden. Add ginger and garlic to it. Stir and cook until the garlic is lightly golden. Add tomato, stir, and cook until they are soft. Remove it to another plate.
9) Transfer the roasted coconut and whole spices to a mixer/blender jar. Grind it to a fine powder. To it, add 1 cup tightly packed coriander leaves, the onion-tomato masala, and 10 cashews. Add a little water and grind it to a thick paste.
10) Heat ¼ cup of oil on medium heat. Add 2 teaspoon Kolhapuri kanda lasun masala and 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder. Stir and cook it for a minute. Add the prepared paste, and combine. Add ¼ cup of chicken stock (from Step 2). Cook until the masala starts to leave oil from the sides. Watan is ready.
11) Divide the watan (masala) into two parts. One part is used to make tambda rassa, and the other part is used to make chicken sukka.
Making Kolhapuri tambda rassa
12) Remove the chicken from the stock. Keep it covered aside in another bowl. You can make sukka with it. I have attached the recipe at the end of the recipe card.
13) Add half of the prepared masala or watan to the stock. Stir to combine. Let it come to a boil on medium heat. Taste and add salt as per taste. Garnish with coriander leaves. Tambda rassa is ready to serve.
Tips to make the Best Tambda Rassa
- While preparing the stock, add hot water. It speeds up the cooking process.
- Not frying the masala properly makes it raw. Take time to bhuno (roast) the base.
- Different brands of Kanda lasun masala differ in the level of spiciness. Start by adding 1 teaspoon of it. You can add more later if required. Balancing spiciness is important.
- Use good-quality dried red chillies. They decide the colour and heat. I used byadagi red chilies for color and flavor. But Kashmiri red chili also works fine.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, it is meant to be spicy. But you can reduce chillies to adjust the heat.
No, I won't recommend making it without kanda lasun masala. It tastes bland.
That red layer comes from chillies and Kolhapuri masala. It is normal and adds taste to the rassa.
Recipe Card
Kolhapuri Tambda Rassa
Video
Equipment
- 2 Heavy bottom pot/kadhai
- 1 Frying pan
Ingredients
For the marination
- 1 kg chicken
- 12 garlic cloves
- 1- inch ginger peeled & roughly chopped
- 2 green chilies add as per taste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
For the stock
- 2 teaspoon oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
For Watan
- 1 cup of grated dry coconut
- 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 4 cloves
- 1- inch cinnamon
- 1 star anise
- 4 green cardamoms
- 1 petal of Javitri
- 6 black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds khus khus
- 2 onions sliced
- 15 garlic cloves
- 1- inch ginger
- 1 big tomato
- 1 cup Coriander leaves tightly packed
- 10 Cashews (soaked in warm water for 15 minutes.)
For Tambda Rassa
- 2 teaspoon Kolhapuri kanda lasun masala
- 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- Coriander leaves
Instructions
Marinate the chicken
- In mixer/blender jar, add garlic, ginger, green chilies and 2 tablespoon water. Grind it to a fine paste.12 garlic cloves, 1- inch ginger, 2 green chilies
- In a mixing bowl, marinate the chicken with the prepared paste, turmeric powder, and salt. Keep it aside.½ teaspoon turmeric powder, Salt to taste, 1 kg chicken
Preparing the stock
- Heat 2 teaspoon of oil over medium heat.2 teaspoon oil
- Once the oil is hot, add onions. Cook until onions are golden.1 onion
- Add marinated chicken. Cook until the color of chicken turns from pink to white. It might take 5 minutes.
- Add 6 cups of hot water. Combine. Cover and cook on low heat until the chicken is cooked.
Preparing the watan (masala)
- Meanwhile the chicken is cooking, let’s prepare the watan (masala). Roast dry coconut on low heat until golden. Remove it to a plate. Let it cool down.1 cup of grated dry coconut
- In the same pan, add coriander seeds, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, green cardamoms, javitri, black peppercorns, and bay leaf. Dry roast on low heat until aromatic. Add sesame seeds and poppy seeds (khus khus). Dry roast for a minute. Immediately remove it to the same plate to cool down to room temperature.2 tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon cumin, 4 cloves, 1- inch cinnamon, 1 star anise, 4 green cardamoms, 1 petal of Javitri, 6 black peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- Heat 2 teaspoon of oil over medium heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until light golden. Add ginger and garlic to it. Stir and cook until the garlic is light golden. Add tomato, stir and cook until they are soft. Remove it to another plate.2 onions, 15 garlic cloves, 1- inch ginger, 1 big tomato
- Transfer the roasted coconut and whole spices to a mixer/blender jar. Grind it to a fine powder. To it, add coriander leaves, the onion-tomato masala, and cashews. Add a little water and grind it to a thick paste.1 cup Coriander leaves, 10 Cashews (soaked in warm water for 15 minutes.)
- Heat ¼ cup of oil on medium heat. Add Kolhapuri kanda lasun masala and Kashmiri red chili powder. Stir and cook it for a minute. Add the prepared paste, and combine. Add ¼ cup of chicken stock (from Step 2). Cook until the masala starts to leave oil from the sides. Watan is ready.2 teaspoon Kolhapuri kanda lasun masala, 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- Divide the watan into two parts. One part is used to make tambda rassa, and the other part is used to make chicken sukka.
Making tambda rassa
- Remove the chicken from the stock. Keep it covered aside in another bowl.
- Add half of the prepared masala or watan to the stock. Stir to combine. Let it come to a boil on medium heat.
- Taste and add salt as per taste. Garnish with coriander leaves. Tambda rassa is ready to serve.Coriander leaves
Notes
- While preparing the stock add hot water. It speeds up the cooking process.
- Different brands of Kanda lasun masala differ in level of spiciness. Start with adding 1 teaspoon of it. You can add more later if required.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to do with leftover chicken?
- Remove the other half of the watan (masala) to a small bowl. For making sukka, I used the same pot that I used to make watan.
- Heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium heat. Add 3 finely chopped onions and sauté until they are soft. Add 2 tomatoes and sauté them for 2 minutes. Cover and cook until the tomatoes are soft.
- Add ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder, 2 teaspoons of Kashmiri red chili powder, and 2 teaspoons of Kolhapuri Kanda lasun masala. Sauté it for a minute.
- Add watan to it, stir well to combine. Add ¼ cup of prepared tambda rassa and cook it for 2 minutes.
- Add the cooked chicken and combine well with the masala. Cover and cook on low heat for 2-3 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of ghee. This step is completely optional, but it adds a lot of flavor. Taste and add salt and lemon juice as per taste. Garnish with coriander leaves.
Ankita Nayak
Even though I made it for the first time and not being a great cook, the dish came out really well. I made several more recipes from your page, and they were all delicious. Thank you for making it simple to understand.
Preeti
Thank you for such a lovely comment. Keep trying new recipes from this site.
Stenny louis
Delicious kolhapuri tambda rassa recipe. Tried this yesterday and everybody loved it.