Tomato Rasam

A quick and yummy recipe, especially for summers.   One of the basics and essentials of south-Indian cuisines that is much loved by north-Indians as well.  Today, I’m sharing the recipe of one type of rassam because contrarily to the way we, north-Indians, look at it Rassam is not just one dish.  There are several types of rassams…

Ingredients:

2-3 medium       Tomatoes (cut into big cubes)

25 gms.               Toor/ arhar dal

1 pinch                      Asafoetida

20 gms.               Tamarind (pulp, without seeds)              

Salt (according to taste)

Water

3-4                         Green chillies

10-15                    Curry leaves

50 gms.                Green coriander, finely chopped.

1 Tb. Sp.               Sunflower Oil

1 Tsp.                    Mustard seeds 

1 pinch                 Asafoetida powder (Hing)

1 Tb. Sp.              Coriander powder

1 Tb. Sp.              Sambar powder

Procedure:

1.                   Boil toor daal with 1 pinch of  Asafoetida and keep it aside.

2.                   Take tamarind pulp / raw tamarind, boil it in 200 ml water.  Crush and filter it and add more water to it.

3.                   Add 1 table spoon coriander powder, Sambar Powder and start heating the liquid at small flame.

4.                   Add asafoetida.

5.                   Add salt.

6.                   Add cut Tomatoes, half cut green chilli ( 2-4 pieces max), onions and curry leaves(only a few).

7.                   Boil at a higher flame till the tomatoes are cooked.

8.                   Add toor dal to the above and Letit boil for another 5-6 minutes.

9.                   Switch off the gas and add green coriander (sufficient amount) to the hot rasam.

10.               Heat oil in a pan.

11.               Add mustard seeds.

13.              When the mustard seeds start spluttering add dal and tomato mix to this.

14.               Add dal and tomato mix to this.

15.               Take off the heat and garnish with green coriander, mix.

16.               Serve in a bowl as an appetizer or with rice.

I hope that you enjoyed this soup-style dish.  It is good especially if you suffer from constipation but must be avoided if you have cough and cold or stomach upset.