Rasam - Spicy South Indian Soup

We need ....

Medium sized tomatoes - 5 (cut into cubes)
Rasam powder - 2 tsps (I used 777 Madras rasam powder)
Black pepper powder - 1/2 tsp (increase if you want a more spicy version)
Tamarind - 1 small lemon sized ball (soaked in 3/4 cup water)
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Ghee - 1 tsp
asofetida/hing - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste


For the tadka/popu.....

Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Curry Leaves - 1 sprig
Dried Red chillies - 2 (broken to half)
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
Coriander leaves - 1 small bunch (for garnish)

How to....

In a sauce pan, heat ghee and oil together. Add tomatoes, turmeric, hing and mix well. cover and cook till the tomatoes turn soft and mushy and the juices running out.
Add pepper, rasam powder and mix well.
Add water and bring to a boil
Squeeze out the pulp from soaked tamarind and add it to boiling rasam.
Add salt to taste, mix well. Cover and simmer for 5 mts.
In a pan, heat oil on low flame. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and allow them to crackle. Add dried red chillies, curry leaves. Fry for 30 secs. Turn off the heat and add the popu/tadka to rasam.
Garnish with cilantro/coriander. Serve hot with rice, ghee and papaddums