Iyer Tomato Rasam

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
• 1 Tbsp. rasam powder (can also use saambhar powder available in stores) I use saambhar powder passed down through generations
• 1/4 of a lemon-sized fresh tamarind
• 1/2 tsp. asafoetida (hing)
• 1/2 cup cooked toor dhal
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp, mustard seeds
• 2 tsps. ghee to garnish
• Salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh coriander


Method:

Cook toor dhal under pressure with 2 tsps. of turmeric. Ratio of dhal to water should be 1 : 2.

Take a 1-quart pot. Add 1 cup of water, chopped tomatoes, a tsp. salt, rasam/saambhar powder and hing. Cook on medium heat until the raw taste of tamarind disappears. It would take about 10 mins.

Mash the cooked dhal, add about a 11/2 cups of water mix well and pour the contents into the pot of tomatoes and other ingredients already cooking.

Bring to a boil, lower heat and allow the contents to froth on top. Turn off heat. Garnish with mustard seeds using ghee. Finally sprinkle chopped coriander.

Serve with white rice or drink it like a soup.

^ Please contact me for any of these ingredients or utensils.