Paruppu Rasam Recipe

Ingredients:
1 cup tuvar dal
1 lemon sized ball tamarind
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
a pinch of asafoetida
1 medium tomato (optional)
2 sprigs curry leaves
a few coriander leaves
salt to taste

For the seasoning
1 teaspoon ghee
1 teaspoon mustard seeds

For the rasam powder
1 teaspoon oil
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon tuvar dal
1 teaspoon gram dal
1 sprig curry leaf
2-3 red chillies
1/4 teaspoon asafoetida

Method:
1. Fry the red chillies and the asafoetida in oil and dry roast the other ingredients for the powder. Mix, powder and store in an air-tight bottle. If stored properly, this powder will last up to 6 months.
2. Boil the dal with the turmeric. When done, add 2 cups of water, and churn to make smooth. Set aside. Chop the tomatoes and set aside.
3. Add a little boiling water to the tamarind and squeeze to extract the pupl. Add 1 - 1 1/2 cups of water. To this add 3 teaspoons of rasam powder, turmeric powder, salt, curry leaf, asafoetida and tomato. Cook this on a slow flame until the smell of raw tamarind disappears. By this time more than half the water will have evaporated.
4. Now add the dal water, coriander leaves and boil till it simmers. Remove from fire. Season the mustard in ghee and add it to the rasam. Serve hot with rice.