Tomato Rasam

Tomato RasamIngredientsTomatoes – 1-2Tamarind Juice – 2-3 tablespoonsRasam powder - 2 tbspsCooked Toor Dal waterMustard seeds – 1tspCumin seeds – 1 tspCrushed Pepper – 1 tspAsafetida - a Pinch
Salt as per tasteGhee – 1 tbspCurry leaves – a sprigCoriander leaves for garnishing

Method
Cut your tomatoes into ¼ inch cubes, and add the tamarind juice, add salt, rasam powder, the crushed pepper powder, a pinch of asafetida and allow to boil till the tomatoes are soft. You can crush one or 2 pieces of the tomatoes with a karandi(spoon) so that the essence of the tomato enters the rasam nicely.
Add the water of the cooked toor dal. If there isn’t much water settled on top of your cooked toor dal then add some water and mix with the dal and pour the water that settles on top into the rasam. Boil for another 2-3 minutes.
Heat 1 tablespoon of Ghee in a pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, Fry till the mustard seeds pop. Add curry leaves, let it fry, Pour this seasoning on top of the rasam.
Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves and remove from flame.
Serve with hot rice and pappads. Or can also be served as an appetizer.
Tip : Always use ghee for seasoning the rasam. It adds on to the flavor and taste of the rasam. Once you have used ghee for the seasoning you will never use oil again.