Nataraja Iyer Rasam

Preparation:15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
Servings: Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup tamarind (imli) pulp
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
5 to 7 whole dry kashmiri red chillies
3 to 5 green chillies
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
2 tbsp grated jaggery (gur)
5 to 6 curry leaves (kadi patta)
100 gms toovar (arhar) dal , cooked
16 to 20 peppercorns (kalimirch)
1 tbsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tbsp oil
2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
4 garlic (lehsun) cloves , crushed
salt to taste
chopped coriander (dhania) for garnishing

Method

Combine the tamarind pulp with 3 cups water, mix well and strain the mixture and transfer in a deep pan.Add the turmeric powder, red chillies, green chillies, asafoetida, jaggery, salt and curry leaves, mix well and bring to boil till the liquid turns to half.Meanwhile, combine the pepper and cumin seeds and blend in a mixer to a coarse powder.Add this to the tamarind mixture and mix well.Add the dal, mix well and simmer for 10 minutes.Heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and garlic and saute till garlic turns golden brown.Add this to the rasam and mix well.Serve hot garnished with coriander.