Rasam- Helen's recipe

This is my cousin Helen's recipe for Rasam, an Indian dish.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Yields: 7 cups

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 cup  toor dal
• 1⁄4 cup red ripe tomato
• 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1  teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1⁄2 teaspoon asafoetida powder
• 1  tablespoon ghee or 1  tablespoon  oil
• 3  green chilies
•  curry leaf
•  salt and pepper
• 1  lime, juice of (optional)

Directions

1. Cook dal in water until very soft.
2. Mix thoroughly to a smooth consistancy.
3. Add 6 cups of water.
4. Cut the green chilies lengthwise and the tomatoes into medium size squares.
5. Add to dal.
6. Heat the ghee and put in the mustard seed and when they splutter, add the asafoetida and curry leaves.
7. Add the dal, turmeric powder, salt and pepper.
8. Cook for 15-20 minutes on medium heat.
9. Squeeze in the juice of a lime if you'd like.
10. For Dal-Rasam, the method is absolutely the same, only aedd 6 cups of tamarind water to the cooked dal.
11. This tastes better than ordinary rasam.