Lemon Rasam

Ingredients:

Thuvar Dal (or)  Moong Dal - ¼ cup
Tomatoes - 2 ~ 3 medium (chopped)
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp or to taste
Green Chili - 2~3 ( Crushed)
Ginger piece - 1" (Crushed)
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Asafetida / Hing - ¼ tsp
Salt - To Taste   


To Grind Coarsely:

Coriander seed / Dhaniya - 1 tsp
Cumin / Jeeragam - 1 tbsp
Pepper corns - ½ tsp

For Seasoning:
 
Oil - 2tsp
Mustard - ½ tsp
Curry leaves - as required
Cilantro minced - as required.
Garlic pods - 1 ~2 (Optional)

Method 1 with uncooked Dal:

• Pressure cook Dal with crushed Chili, Ginger, Turmeric powder, Hing & Tomatoes for one whistle.
• Dry roast Coriander seeds, Cumin & Pepper corn and grind coarsely. 
• Dilute Cooked Dal with required water & Salt. Heat in medium flame & bring to boil.
• When mixture starts to boil, Turn off the stove.
• Heat Oil in a pan & add Mustard seed and allow it to splutter.
• Add dry roast powder, curry leaves & Ginger pods and Saute for a minute.
• Add this seasoning ingredients to the Rasam mixture with minced cilantro.
• Add Lemon juice & mix well.

Method 2 with cooked Dal:

• In a Pan add Chopped Tomatoes, Ginger, Chili, Hing, Turmeric powder with required Salt & water and heat in medium heat.
• Dilute Cooked  Dal with required water.
• When mixture boils add Diluted Dal & cook in medium heat for 5 mins and turn off the heat.
• Dry Roast Corainder seeds, Cumin & peppercorns and grind coarsely.
• Heat Oil in a pan with seasoning ingredients & add dry roast powder and saute it  for a minute.
• Add this to Rasam Mixture with minced Cilantro.
• Finally add lemon juice to Rasam.

Note: We can omit Tomatoes & can follow the same procedure. 
          Moong Dal will give different taste to this rasam.
          You can add and reduce Lemon juice according to your taste.