Rasam

Ingredients
Tomato- 2 diced
Garlic-5 cloves crushed with skin
Curry leaves- 5
Dried red chili- 3 broken into pieces
Turmeric powder- 1/4tsp
Coriander leaves- 1/2 cup
Water- 4 cups
Rasam powder- 1tbsp*
Black pepper- 1tsp(freshly ground)
Salt- as needed
Tamarind paste- 1tbsp


For tempering
Oil- 1tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1/2tsp
Cumin seeds- 1tsp
Asafoetida- 1/4tsp


Method

1. In a sauce pan, heat oil and do the tempering. When the mustard seeds splutter, add crushed garlic, red chili and curry leaves. Saute well.
2. Add the tomatoes and cover the pan with a lid. When the tomatoes are soft, mash it with the back of spatula.
3. Add in the salt, rasam powder and pepper.Pour the water and bring it to a boil.
4. When the water is boiling, add the tamarind paste and boil for 5 more minutes.
5. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with hot rice.

* Instead of rasam powder, a mixture of  1dried red chili, 1tbsp of coriander seeds and 1/2tsp of cumin seeds can be dry roasted and ground to a powder.