Water - 4 cupsIf using toor dal water then go for 2 cups of water + 2 cups of toor dal water
Horse Gram Dal Rasam Podi - 1 heaped tbsp or about 1.5 tbsps
Ripe Tomato - 1
Garlic cloves - 2
Chopped Cilantro - hand ful
Curry leaves - 1 strand
Salt - 1.5 tsps
Hing - ½ tsp
Pepper Powder - ½ tsp
Turmeric Powder - ¼ tsp
Tamarind Paste - 1 tbsp or small goose berry sized tamarind
Oil or ghee - 2 tsps
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Instructions
Prep Work
If using tamarind, soak it in 1 cup of water and extract about 1 cup of juice.
If using tamarind paste, mix it in 1 cup of water and make sure it dissolves well.
Chop the tomatoes and cilantro.
Peel and crush the garlic cloves.
Steps
In a heavy bottom vessel in which you are going to prepare the rasam, add the chopped tomatoes, crushed garlic, turmeric powder, half of the curry leaves, salt, hing, rasam powder, pepper powder and salt.
To this add 1 cup of water and the tamarind water and mix it well. Check for salt at this stage.
Now heat this rasam mix in medium low flame till the mixture boils.
With a ladle or potato masher, mash all the tomatoes and mix well.
Now add two more cups of water or toor dal water and the remaining curry leaves and chopped cilantro and mix well.
Reduce the flame to low and heat it till the froth forms.
Once the froth starts to form, turn off the heat.
Heat a separate pan or kadai or tadka pan and add ghee.
Once its hot, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
As it starts to splutter, add this to the rasam.
That’s it. Yummy kollu rasam is ready. Serve hot with rice.
Notes
As I mentioned above, toor dal water or about 2 tbsps of mashed toor dal can be used. Adjust salt and rasam powder according to your preference. Garlic is optional and if you like the garlic taste, add more garlic according to your taste preference.