• Rinse the toor dal and tomato. Add water and haldi to the dal. Cut the tomato in quarters and add to the dal. To save time you can add rinsed rice with enough water. Cover and pressure cook the dal and rice for 2 whistles on big flame 1 on low flame. Let the pressure drop naturally.
• Meanwhile, soak the tamarind in ¼ cup of water and extract the juice. Set aside.
• Once the pressure drops remove the dal and mash the tomato. Run an immersion mixer and grind the dal and tomato. These days I dry my curry leaves and add the powder to our food as kids do not like the leaves in the mouth or it graces the edge of their plate.
• To make a tempering heat oil/ghee in a pan and add the mustard when it splutters add the red chillies and asafoetida.
• Add the boiled dal mixture, tamarind juice extract, jaggery(if using), masala, salt and bring to boil.
• You can adjust to suit your taste.
• Add more or less tomato, add lemon juice, coriander leaves( I do not).

How To Make Rasam Masala:

• In a little oil fry hing remove from oil.
• Add methi remove from oil.
• Fry pepper, mustard, and jeera.
• In the coriander seeds add red chillies, curry leaves and fry till crisp.
• Cool and dry grind.
• Store in an airtight container.