Lemon Rasam (Kattu Saaru)

Here's a rasam recipe that does not require rasam powder. Only lemon, tomatoes, dal and lots of coriander leaves. Very mild and refreshing !!!

Recipe Source : Mother

Serves : 5

Prep time : 5 minutes 

Cooking time : 20 minutes

Ingredients :

for rasam :

1 cup toor dal/split red gram

2 tomatoes chopped into cubes

1 green chilli cut length wise

1 inch piece ginger

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon jaggery

4 cups of water

4 tbsp lemon juice (roughly two medium sized lemons)

for tadka (seasoning) :

1 teaspoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

2 teaspoons jeera (cumin seeds) – pepper powder (crush a teaspoon of jeera and pepper in a mortar and pestle and keep aside)

10 curry leaves

a small bunch of coriander leaves finely chopped

Method:

1.Cook toor dal in 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles. Once it is done, whisk thoroughly and keep aside.

2.Take tomatoes, green chillies, turmeric powder, jaggery, ginger and salt in 2 cups of water and cook till tomatoes are soft.

3.Add dal and bring to a boil. Keep stirring in between as the dal can settle down and stick to the bottom of the vessel. 

4. The rasam will start foaming. Switch off gas at this stage.

5. Add lemon juice and mix thoroughly.

for tadka (seasoning) :

1. Heat oil. Add mustard seeds, when the mustard seeds begin to splutter, add curry leaves and  jeera pepper powder. Add this to the Rasam.

2. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with rice.

Note :

You can also prepare this rasam without tomatoes.