When the sun is down and when it rains, the appetite goes down and this rasam, acts as an appetizer and is also a filler if added to mashed rice.

Ingredients:
Corinander seeds (Dhaniya) - 1/4 cup
Thuvar Dal - 1/4 cup
Red Chillies - 6 to 8
Hing (asafodeita) - 1/2 tsp
Tamrind - 1 lemon size
or
Tamarind Paste - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Tomato Puree - 2 tbsp or 1 big tomato (optional)
Coriander leaves finely chopped - 3/4 th cup
Salt to taste

Method:
Grind thuvar dal coarsely. Grind coriander seeds also coarsely.

Make 3 cups of tamarind juice either out of tamarind or tamarind paste.

Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a shallow pan, add the ground thuvar dal, when it turns golden brown add the ground coriander seeds and red chillies. Add asafodeita, tamrind juice and salt and bring it to boil in a medium flame. Let it reduce in quantity (say to almost 1/2). Add 1.5 to 2 cups of water and tomato puree and bring it to boil again. Add coriander leaves to it and when it starts bubbling remove from flame.

In a sesoning laddle add the remaining 1 tbsp ghee and add mustard seeds to it and let it splutter. Once done add it to the rasam.

Serve in a bowl with just little rice and ghee (more of this rasam will do the needful appetizing). This also helps in controlling Blood Pressure.