Tomato Rasam - Home Made Powder

Ingredients

• 2 units Roma tomatoes
• 1 handful Tamarind (raw) (Small ball)
• 1 teaspoon Black crushed pepper
• 2 teaspoons Curry powder (2-3 tsp depending on taste - MTR rasam powder is a good alternative)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1 handful Cilantro
• 10 units Curry leaves
• 2 units Dry red chillies
• 2 teaspoons Ghee
• 1 teaspoon Coriander powder (if store bought rasam powder is used.)
• 1 cup Toor Dal
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon Jaggery (depending on taste acquired.)
• 2 cups Water (Approximate, adjust for desired consistency)

Instructions

1. 1In a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, cook 1 cup of toor dal with 1 chopped tomato until the dal is soft and fully cooked.
2. 2Soak a handful of tamarind in warm water to extract the juice. Alternatively, use 2 teaspoons of tamarind paste.
3. 3Add plain water and tamarind water to the cooked and mashed dal to achieve the desired consistency. Typically, add about twice the amount of water to dal for a thin consistency. Stir in rasam powder and coriander powder, and bring to a boil. Optionally, add a little jaggery for sweetness.
4. 4In a small pan, heat ghee and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chillies, black pepper, and curry leaves. Sauté until the mustard seeds crackle and the spices are fragrant.
5. 5Add the prepared tadka to the boiling rasam. Let it boil for an additional 2 minutes. Garnish with a generous handful of chopped cilantro before serving.