Lemon Rasam

One of my favourite soups... a cold rainy day and a cup of lemon rasam... YUMMY!!! Unlike the other rasams this one is not very hot (spicy). Simple flavours!!!

Prep time - 5 mins
Cooking time - 15 mins
Serves - 4

INGREDIENTS:

• Ghee / Clarified butter - 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds - half tsp
• Jeera / Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
• Hing / asafoetida - 2 pinch
• Haldi / Turmeric powder - quarter tsp
• Green chilly - 1 - slit (optional)
• Tomatoes - 2 med sized - cubed
• Curry leaves - few
• Water - 1 litre
• Cooked Toor dal or moong daal / Yellow lentils - 1 - 2 tbsp (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Lime - 1 - juiced - make sure you keep the pulp (adds to the flavour)
• Coriander - chopped - for garnish

METHOD

• In a pan add ghee and mustard seeds. When the seeds sputter add the cumin seeds.
• After about 30 seconds add the green chilly, hing and haldi powder
• Add the chopped tomatoes & curry leaves and saute for a minute
• Add water, dal (optional) and salt and mix well.
• Boil the mixture for about 10 mins - till the tomatoes are almost cooked
• Turn off the heat and then add the half the lime juice. In case you need more acidity you can add the rest of it.
• Make sure to taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Garnish with coriander and serve hot with rice and papad or just have the plain simple rasam.
• Its great for little ones too as the spice levels are very low.

VARIATIONS

• You can add some garlic paste or crushed garlic when you are sauteing the tomato if you like a bit of garlic in your rasam
• You could add a little bit of rasam powder if you need a little more spice in it