Lemon Rasam with Mint and Green Tomato

No. of servings:  6
Preparation Time:  10 mins	Cook Time:  20 mins

This tangy and spicy rasam is most welcome on a cold or rainy day.  The extra tang of the green tomato and the freshness of the mint make it even more delectable! Especially great against colds and sniffles.  Serve it with rice or vadas or as a soup by itself.

Ingredients:

• Tur daal - 1 cup 
• Mustard seeds - 0.5 tsp
• Asafoetida (hing) - 2 pinches
• Cumin - 1 tsp
• Black pepper powder - 1 tsp
• Minced garlic - 1.5 tsp
• Turmeric - 0.25 tsp
• Green chili paste - 0.5 tsp
• Green tomatoes - 2 large
• Mint - 1 fistful
• Lemon juice - 1-2 tbsp

Method:

• Pressure cook the tur daal with water and turmeric (3 minutes in Instant Pot)
• In another vessel, heat a little oil and add mustard seeds and asafoetida 
• Add minced or finely chopped garlic and saute till it turns brown
• Add (coarsely ground) cumin and black pepper powder
• Add green chili paste and saute
• After the raw smell is gone, add the chopped green tomatoes (safe a fistful to add later)
• When it becomes mushy, mash the cooked daal and add to it
• Bring to a gentle boil
• Add 4 cups of water, salt, chopped mint and the remaining green tomato pieces
• Bring to a gentle boil
• Turn off heat and add the lemon juice
• Enjoy directly as a soup (or) with rice (or) with Vada and make 'Rasa Vada'!

Tips and Tricks:

• Adding turmeric to tur daal cooks it to a softer consistency 
• Coarse grinding cumin and black pepper keeps the flavors stronger
• Tomatillos can be used in place of green tomatoes
• Rolling boil diminishes the flavors of black pepper, hence do only a gentle boil
• Always add lemon juice after turning off the heat to keep the sourness of the lemons
• Heat the water in the hot kettle to expedite boiling on the stove

Pictures: 

Final Outcome: