Tomato Rasam

Overview
This is a popular South Indian dish. It can be made with Dal ( Split pea)  or with out Dal. Here I have made it with Dal. It has a soupy texture and is hot and sour. The sour taste comes from the tamarind and tomatoes. Any kind of tomatoes can be used but I like to use cherry tomatoes for this. All the spices need for this dish can be got at any Indian Store. We do get ready made Rasam powder to buy but grinding it fresh does make a big difference. Adjust the amount of Whole Red chilly and Black pepper if you don't like it spicy.

Ingredients
Spit pea Dal - 1/2 cup
Cheery tomatoes - 2 cups - chopped
Garlic - 8 cloves - finely chopped
Tamarind - size of a small lime
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Cilantro - one handful
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Rasam powder
Red whole Chilly - 4
Whole Black pepper - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Coriander seeds - 3 tablespoons
Fenugreek seeds - 1 teaspoon
Asafoetida powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Dry roast in pan all these spices one by one except the Asafoetida powder and grind it in a clean coffee grinder.

For Garnish
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Whole red Chilly - 3 or 4 cut into pieces
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Curry leaves from 2 sprigs
Oil - 3 teaspoons

Steps
1. Soak the tamarind in warm water and squeeze out the pulp and keep aside.
1. Cook the spit pea in one cup water in a pressure cooker or in heavy bottom vessel till the Dal can be mashed up well
2. Mash up the Dal and add chopped tomatoes, chopped garlic, salt and turmeric to it and one more cup of water and cook well for about 10 minutes.
3. Mix the ground spices for Rasam with the asafoetida powder in water and make a paste and add it to the cooked Dal.
4. Add the tamarind to this too and bring it to a boil.
5. Add chopped cleaned cilantro leaves  to this too and turn off the heat.
6. In another pan heat  the oil. When the oil gets hot. Add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the cumin seeds, whole red chilly pieces and curry leaves. stir. Turn off the heat and add this on top of the prepared Rasam

Serve hot with plain rice.