Tomato Rasam

The perfect comfort food for me. Rice and rasam. With a little potato curry in the side, or just papad. Soft, mashed rice on a plate. Hot rasam with loads of tomatoes poured over it. A little curry and papad to add that crunch. Could anyone ask for more?

I usually make rasam fresh. I cook dal with lots of water. Then I use the cooked dal to make sambar and the water to make rasam. Last week, I had some cooked dal and decided to make rasam.

Ingredients:

400 ml Dal Water (Use plain water if need be)

2 tbsp Cooked Dal

2-3 large Tomatoes, chopped (even halved)

1 tbsp Rasam Powder

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

Juice of 1 lime or 1 tbsp Tamarind Paste (I do a half and half)

Coriander Leaves for garnish

Salt to Taste

For the tempering:

1 tsp Oil or Ghee

1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds

7-8 Curry Leaves

In a vessel, take the dal water and dal and add the asafoetida, salt and rasam powder. Add the tomatoes and tamarind paste of and bring to a boil. (If using lime juice, do not add it at this stage. Add it at the very end and boil once.) Simmer it for 4-5 minutes.

In a small kadhai, heat the oil or ghee, add the mustard seeds, and when they splutter, add the curry leaves.

Add this to the rasam. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

You can drink this as a soup or have it with rice. One more of those dishes that I can actually eat everyday.