Paruppu Rasam

Preparation:30 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
Servings: Makes 4 to 5 servings

Ingredients

For The Rasam Powder
1/4 cup toovar (arhar) dal
1 cup whole dry kashmiri red chillies
2 cups coriander (dhania) seeds
1/2 cup cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tbsp peppercorns (kalimirch)
2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
2 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
1/2 cup curry leaves (kadi patta) , optional

For The Rasam
2 tbsp tamarind (imli)
1/2 cup toovar (arhar) dal
a pinch of turmeric powder (haldi)
4 medium sized chopped , tomatoes
3 tsp rasam powder
1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)
3 1/2 cups water
salt to taste
1 tsp ghee
1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)

For The Garnish
coriander (dhania) for garnishing

Method

For the rasam powder:
For the rasam powder:Dry roast each ingredient separately till completely dry.Grind all ingredients together and store powder in an airtight bottle. Keep aside.
For the rasam
For the rasamSoak the tamarind in a cup of water for around 1/2 hour. Squeeze it well and extract the juice. Dilute with 1 cup of water and keep aside.Meanwhile, pressure cook the dal with enough water and a pinch of turmeric powder.Mash the dal well and keep aside.In a deep pan, add the 2 cups of tamarind water, tomatoes, rasam powder, and asafoetida powder and bring to boil.Simmer for around 10 minutes till the rasam reduces to ¾ of its original quantity.Now add the remaining cups of water and cooked dal and mix well.When a foamy layer starts forming on the rasam, add the seasoning and cook for few minutes and remove from the flame.Heat the ghee in a small pan and add the mustard seeds.When the seeds crackle, add the tempering over the rasam.Serve hot garnished with coriander.