Rasam

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

main ingredients:

• 1 lemon sized tamarind/imli (approx 1 tbsp tightly packed seedless tamarind) + ½ cup warm water
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 2 cups water
• 10-12 curry leaves/kadi patta
• two pinch of asafoetida/hing
• ½ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
• 1 tsp mustard seeds/rai
• 2-3 red chilies, broken and deseeded
• 2 tsp chopped coriander leaves/dhania patta
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt as required

to be powdered to a semi coarse consistency:

• 3 tsp cumin seeds/jeera
• 2 tsp whole black pepper/sabut kali mirch
• 6-7 garlic/lahsun, roughly chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. soak the tamarind in ½ cup warm water for 20 to 30 mins.
2. squeeze the pulp from the soaked tamarind. strain and keep aside.
3. in a dry grinder or coffee grinder, powder the cumin seeds, whole black pepper and garlic to a semi fine consistency.
4. heat oil in a pan. crackle the mustard seeds first.
5. add the curry leaves, red chilies & asafoetida and fry for some seconds till the red chilies deepen their color.
6. temper on a low flame so that the spices don't burn.
7. than add the tomatoes and saute till the tomatoes soften.
8. then add the semi coarsely powdered cumin, black pepper and garlic along with turmeric powder.
9. stir and then add the tamarind pulp. add water and stir well. season with salt.
10. just let the whole rasam come to a gentle boil uncovered.
11. then switch off the fire and add chopped coriander leaves.
12. serve rasam hot, plain or with steamed rice.