Quick Tomato Rasam

Rasam normally forms the second course in a traditional South Indian menu. There are various ways of preparing it. It is normally mixed with plain cooked rice and eaten with different curries for sidedish. It makes for a very good appetizer or soup also when taken all by itself.

This is one of my favourite recipe as its very simple and quick to prepare. And tastes really good too...

Ingredients:

1 Medium Onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2-3 sliced Tomatoes or 1 tin/can Chopped Tomato,

1 medium sized Raw Mango, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes (optional)

1-2 Green Chillies, sliced

1 inch Ginger, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 cup of Red Lentils

2 tbsp Fresh Coriander Leaves, finely chopped

1/2 tsp of Turmaric Powder

1-2 Tbsp of Rasam Powder (Adjust acc to taste)

1 tsp Jaggary

Salt to taste

For seasoning:

1 Dry Red Chilli, halved

1 tsp Mustard Seeds

1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds

1/8 tsp Hing/Asafoetida

1 tbsp Oil/Ghee

Method:

1. In a pressure cooker take little oil and season with red chilli, mustard, jeera and hing.
2. When it starts sizzling, add sliced onions, green chillis and finely chopped ginger, cook for 1 min.
3. Add turmeric and rasam powder, stir for 30 seconds.
4. Blanch the tomatoes and make a puree. (If you dont have enough time for this then add sliced tomatoes directly or u can use canned tomatoes also which gives wonderful taste). Add this to other ingredients.
5. Add diced raw mango and jaggry. (Mango gives sour taste and jaggary compliment with it)
6. Add enough water.
7. At last add lentil/daal and salt to taste.
8. Close the pressure cooker lid and cook it for 2-3 whistles.
9. Add chopped fresh coriander leaves before serving.

Hint:

You can add little tarmarind water instead of raw mangoes.