Mysore Rasam

Ingredients:

Tamarind             -  1 small berry sized
Thoor dal             -  2 table spoons
Tomato                -  1 no
Coriander seeds   -  1 table spoon
Bengal gram dal    -  1/2 table spoon
Pepper                 -  1 tea spoon
Red chilies           -  2 - 3 nos
Jeera                    -  1 tea spoon
Grated coconut    -  1 table spoon
Asafoitida             -  1/2 tea spoon
Ghee                    -  1 table spoon
Mustard seeds      -  1 table spoons
Turmeric powder  -  1/2 tea spoon
Curry leaves         -  1 few leaves
Coriander leaves   -  1 table spoon (finely chopped)
Salt to taste

1.  Soak tamarind in warm water for 1/2 hr and take 1 cup of juice and keep it aside.
2.  Wash and cook the thoor dal till soft and shapeless.
3.  In a kadai heat 1/2 tea spoon of ghee and add coriander seeds, bengal gram dal, red chilies and pepper and stir fry till they all turn evenly golden brown.
4.  Once the fried masala cools add jeera, coconut and grind them to paste.
5.  Squeeze the tomato into the tamarind juice, add salt, turmeric powder, asafoitida and salt and allow it to boil till the raw smell of the tamarind goes off and the tomato cooks.
6.  Add the ground paste to the boiling rasam and stir well and let it boil for another 3 - 5 mins.
7.  Thorough mash the cooked thoor dal and add 1 cup of water to it.
8.  Now add the mashed dal along with water into the boiling rasam.
9.  Mix well and bring it to boil and when its about to boil remove from stove.  (The top layer of the rasam should just become frothy).
10.Heat ghee in a kadai and add the mustard seeds and after it crackles add the finely chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves and add it to the rasam.
11.Mysore rasam ready.  Serve with hot rice and ghee.  (In this rasam tamarind is optional.  You can use 2 tomatoes and avoid tamarind).