Rasam Dal

While visiting friends in the South of India, we gained an eager palate for spicy and tangy soups such as Sambhar and Rasam or pepper water. Eaten lavishly with savoury cakes and crepes made from rice called Idlis and Dosas, these delicious preparations not only generate a good sweat to cool you in the Indian heat, they'll warm you in the coldest of Canadian winters too.

In a small pressure cooker (I use a 3.5 litre one), add to 4 cups of water: 

1 cup of toor dal

1 tbsp tumeric powder

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

5 peppercorns

1 tsp salt

3 tomatoes chopped

Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes and turn off.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium fry pan and add the following:

1 tbsp black mustard seed

1 tbsp cumin seed

1 tbsp urad dal

2 dried red chilies

5 peppercorns

Stir until mustard seed begins to pop, then add:

pinch of asafoetida powder

8-10 curry leaves chopped

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

Stir for about 1-2 minutes then add 2 or 3 tomatoes chopped and continue stirring until it becomes a thick paste. Add to this paste the contents of the pressure cooker, 1 tbsp of jaggery (or brown sugar), 1-2 tbsp of imli or tamarind paste, top it up with two more cups of water and add salt to taste. 

For extra spice add 3 tbsp of Rasam Masala available in most Asian food markets.

Garnish with fresh chopped coriander. Best served with Idlis or Dosas (will post soon).

Serves 4-6 

Traditional breakfast with our favourite South Indian