Lemon Rasam (Lentil Lemon Soup)

Quote of the day: Life is a difficult game. You can win it only by retaining your birthright to be a person. 
Abdul Kalam
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Elumichai Rasam / Lime or Lemon Rasam (Lentil Lemon Soup)
Amma is an expert in making Rasam and there are different varieties of Rasams that she makes. As I have mentioned before, Rasam is a must everyday at Amma`s place and Appa believed that taste of Rasam depends on how fresh the ingredients are.
Lemon Rasam is one among the many varieties that Amma made. I will blog other versions in future.
Fresh lemon and green chillies combine perfectly to make it a satisfying lemony soup. Attempt this Rasam only with fresh ingredients and all ingredients are a must.


Ingredients:

1. 4 cups paruppu thani/diluted toor dhal water ( see tips below)
2. 2 lime or lemon
3. 1 tomato
4. 4 to 5 garlic
5. 5 green chillies slit
6. a handful finely chopped cilantro
7. few finely chopped curry leaves
8. 1/2 teaspoon mustard
9. 1/2 teaspoon cumin
10. 2 to 3 fenugreek
11. a pinch asafoetida
12. salt to taste
13. 2 red chillies ( optional )

To Grind:

1. 5 red chillies
2. 1 teaspoon coriander/dhania
3. 1 teaspoon cumin
4. 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Procedure:

1. Cook the tomato, when cool peel the skin and set aside.
2. Gently smash the garlic ( do not make a paste, just a gentle pat so as to open them. Do not peel the skin)
3. Combine the paruppu thani//diluted dhal water, garlic, green chillies, cilantro, curry leaves, tomato and salt to taste. Gently squeeze with your hands the ingredients to combine well and to bring the flavors of the fresh ingredients.
4. Heat a teaspoon of oil, season with mustard, cumin, fenugreek and asafoetida. Now add the powder and mix well.
5. Add the combined soup and bring this rasam to a boil in a kadai which can hold the prepared rasam. Remove from fire just when it starts to boil.
6. When cool add juice of 2 lime.

Serve with rice or have it as a soup.





TIPS: I normally cook about a 1/2 cup of Toor dhal with 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder for Sambar and when cooked, I add about 4 cups of water to the dhal. The dhal settles down leaving a clear soup on top. I then use the clear soup to make Rasam.
I cook the tomato separately along with the dhal in the pressure cooker. When cool, remove the skin and use for Rasam. A nice gentle squeeze of the ingredients is a must to get a nice flavorful Rasam .
Do not add lime juice when rasam is hot, this will make the rasam bitter. Adjust lime juice according to your preference
I have added fresh ground rasam powder for this recipe. You could add 3 teaspoon rasam powder. Follow the recipe for rasam powder here.