TOMATO RASAM

Ingredients

Full ripe tomatoes – ½ kg
Tamarind – small lemon sized
Ghee – for frying
Curry leaves, coriander leaves – a few
Salt and Jaggery – as required
Green chilies – 3 or 4 (crushed coarsely)
Small onions – few (peeled and crushed coarsely)
Garlic flakes – 3 (crushed coarsely)
Coriander seeds – 1.5 tsp (crushed coarsely)
Cumin seeds – ½ tsp (crushed coarsely)
Cinnamon – ½ inch piece (crushed coarsely)

Method

1. Chop the tomatoes into big pieces. Add just enough water to cover the pieces.
2. Add tamarind and boil till tomatoes become just soft (till the outer skin peels off easily). Allow to cool. Grind to smooth paste and strain to remove the seeds and the skin, etc.
3. Dilute if necessary and add the salt and jaggery.
4. Fry pound ingredients in ghee and add to the tomato juice.
5. Boil for 1 or 2 minutes.
6. Garnish with coriander and curry leaves.
7. Heat a little ghee, add asafoetida powder and mix with rasam.
8. If being served as an appetizer, strain before serving.