Easy Rasam

Easy Rasam
(serves 2 portions)
Can be enjoyed as an appetizer/ soup, or with rice

1. Ingredients

• DAL (OPTIONAL) : 2 tablespoon moong dal(yellow dal) - washed and cooked for 20-30 minutes until tender(mushy) 2 tablespoon Tuvar dal - washed and cooked for 40 minutes until tender.

Note: to cook 2 tbsp dal, add 1 mug of water. when it comes to a boil, cover and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally until done. If the water gets absorbed, add some more water.
You will get the hang of it if u try a couple of times!

• 2 medium tomatoes finely chopped 1/2 can tomatoes- chopped+ juice
  
• 2-3 cloves garlic peeled and grated or pounded ( fresh tastes way better than shop bought puree)
• 1 tbsp oil or ghee
• 1 tsp jeera powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper powder ( more if u like spicy)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 3-4 washed curry ( limda) leaves , dry or fresh (Opt.)
• fresh or bottled lemon juice (to your taste)
• 1/4 tsp salt (or to your taste)
• a pinch of asafoetida ( opt.)
• fresh coriander- chopped (opt.)
  

2. Method

• Take a deep pan with a lid.
• On a low heat, put oil/ghee in the pan. Add jeera. cover . wait for it to darken in colour.
• add limda, garlic and stir. Cover for few seconds.
• add hing, turmeric and tomatoes. Mix . Cover. Cook for a few minutes until tomatoes soften a bit.
• add jeera powder, pepper powder , salt and mix well.
• If you have cooked dal, add the dal to it . mix well. (or skip this step altogether!)
• Add 1 - 2 cups water(or more) according to the consistency you like.
• Increase the heat and boil for further few minutes.
• Garnish with coriander.
• if u like it a bit more sour, add few drops of lemon juice after serving.

NOTE: Instead of tomatoes, u can even use tomato juice.

Variation : Onion Rasam

• After step 1 , add one medium chopped onion and cook it till transluscent, then continue with step 2.