Paruppu Rasam (Dal Rasam)

Ah! Rasam. The feeling of warmth that this flavored water gives cannot be expressed with words. "Pepper Water" the Brits called it, no one can deny they are good at spotting good things and adopting them as their own. I hear Indian Food goes as British food these days. May be I am exaggerating a little bit.

I am a recent convert and like all recent converts I am serious about my Rasam. My mom, dad and brother all loved their rasam. I never much cared for the watery stuff. But when you are in foreign soil changes come over you that are hard to explain. So when I ventured out to make rasam, it took a while to make a really tasty rasam. I collected recipes followed them religiously but they never tasted good. So after several trial and errors and experiments I think I do make good rasam. But the Verdict has to come from the tasters themselves I guess.



Ingredients
1. 2-3 tbsp Toor Dal cooked soft with plenty of water
2. 1 tomato chopped rougly
3. 1 tbsp chopped onions
4. 2 garlic pods sliced and pounded
5. 2 red chillies split and seeds removed
6. Seasonings - cumin,mustard, few methi seeds, a pinch of asfoetida and curry leaves
7. 2-3 sprigs of corriander leaves
8. 1 tsp oil, 1/4 tsp ghee
9. 1 cup of tamrind pulp from 3 grape tomato sized tamrind.
10. 1 tsp of turmeric powder

Powder
1. 2 tsp cumin
2. 1 tsp corriander seeds
3. 1/2 tsp pepper (more or less depending on taste)

pound the above using a mortar and pestle or a rough powder

Method
1. Heat the oil and ghee in a pan and when hot add the seasonings
asfoetida, cumin, curry leaves, methi seeds and the mustard seeds.
2. When the mustard starts to pop add the chillies and onion and when it starts to brown add the garlic and saute,
3. Add the tomatoes and turmeric powder and cook till the tomatoes are mushy,
4. Now add the tamrind pulp and let it come to a boil,
5. Now add the Mashed toor dal and enough water.
6. When it starts to boil add the powdered cumin-corriande-pepper powder mixture.
7. Add enough salt and the fresh corriander and switch off when white bubbles appear on the surface.


Serve with White Rice or as a soup.