Tomato Rasam

The South Indian lentil & tomato soup... I love it!!!

INGREDIENTS

1. Tomato - 2 to 3 - cubed
2. Toor dal - qtr cup steamed
3. turmeric pwd / haldi - half tsp
4. salt to taste
5. rasam pwd - 2 heaped tsp
6. tamarind - small lime sized ball - soak in hot water & remove paste.
7. ghee / clarified butter - 1 tbsp
8. jeera / cumin seeds - 1 tsp
9. mustard seeds - 1 tsp
10. hing / asafoetida - a pinch
11. curry leaves - few
12. coriander leaves for garnish

METHOD

In a vessel add 400 ml of water, cubed tomatoes, turmeric pwd and salt & cook till the tomato is well cooked.

Then add the tamarind pulp/paste and the rasam pwd and cook till the raw smell of tamarind disappears.

Now add the toor dal... dilute it a little. When this mixture boils a little add the chopped coriander and take it off the flame.

In a separate small pan add ghee & mustard seed... after the mustard splutters add jeera once it bubbles up putt off the flame & add hing and the curry leaves & add this to the rasam.

Add or subtract the salt or rasam pwd as per your taste.

VARIATION
Add amchoor pwd / dried mangoes instead of tamarind