Dal Rasam

Hi All.......
Rasam or south Indian soup made up of tamarind pulp, tomato, chilies. Rasam is served as soup or can be eaten with boiled rice too.
I added little bit of dal (lentils) to make it more healthy.

I make rasam quiet often as I love them....sometimes tomato rasam or dal rasam......Here is the recipe for you all.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup red gram dal (toor dal)
• 1 lemon sized ball of tamarind
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 4-5 peppercorns 
• A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• Salt acc.to taste 

For Tadka

• 1 tsp oil 
• 4-5 cloves of garlic (roughly crushed)
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 2-3 broken dry red chilies
• Few curry leaves
• Chopped fresh coriander for garnishing

Method:

1. Cook dal in a pressure cooker with water. Keep on low flame for 10-15 mins after first whistle. 
2. Soak the tamarind in warm water for 10 minutes. Mash it nicely, extract juice and discard pulp.
3. Mix the tamarind pulp in the dal mixture. 
4. Add turmeric powder, hing, peppercorns, salt into the dal mixture. Boil it till the raw smell of tamarind goes away. Remove from fire.
5. Heat oil in small pan, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds and garlic cloves. Cook till garlic becomes light brown in colour.
6. Add curry leaves, broken dry chilies. Saute for a min.
7. Add this tadka or tempering into the dal mixture.
8. Mix well, garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 
9. Serve hot.

Sending this recipe to:

http://www.spicytreats.net/2012/09/south-indian-cooking-event-series-2.html#more