Rasams Recipes - Lemon Rasam

Ingredients

• 30g/1 1/2 oz/1,4 cup red lentils

• 4 green chilies

• 2.5 cm/1 in ginger root, finely chopped

• 2 tomatoes, quartered

• 2.5ml/1/2 tsp ground turmeric

• 300 ml/1/2 pt/1 1/4 cups water

• salt

• 10 ml/2 tsp ghee

• 5 ml/1 tsp ,mustard seeds

• 2.5ml/1/2 tsp asafetida

• 1 dried red chili, halved

• 2-3 curry leaves

• 5 ml/1 tsp ground black pepper

• 2.5ml/1/2 tsp ground cumin

• juice of 1 lemon

• 1 small bunch fresh coriander ( cilantro), chopped

---

Method:

1. Cook the lentils in water for about 1 hour until tender. Drain. Grind together the chilies and ginger and stir them into the lentils with the tomatoes, turmeric, water and salt and bring to the boil over a low heat.

2. In a separate pan, heat the ghee and try the mustard seeds, asafetida, chili and curry leaves for 1 minute.

3. Add the pepper and cumin and fry until the mustard seeds start crack­ling.

4.  Add to the rasam and remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, garnish with the coriander and serve hot with rice.