Tomato Rasam or Tomato Chaaru

We call it chaaru. I think rasam came from Tamilnadu. What's in a name? Dolly keeps asking me for this recipe and I keep forgetting to post it.

There are several different versions and a million other ingredients you can use to make this. My mother in law makes it with tamarind extract, rasam powder and garlic. As simple as that.

You can make rasam powder at home. You will have to wait till I find the ingredients from the oldies. However, run to your local Indian or any grocery store that sells these instant powders and get yourself "MTR" brand rasam powder.

Ingredients:

Water - 4 cups
Tomato - 1 large chopped fine
Lemon Juice - 1 tsp.
Curry Leaves - 4 leaves
Rasam Powder - 2 Tsp.
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp.
Cumin Seeds - 1tsp.
Asafoetida( Inguva or hing) - 2 dashes
Salt - as needed
Oil - 3 tsp.

Procedure:

- Heat oil in a sauce pan. Add mustard and cumin seeds.
- Once they start poppin' out ( called spluttering;)) add hing, curry leaves. Turn the flame to medium-low now.
- Add tomatoes and cook them covered for 3 - 5 minutes till they are soft. Stir in between to make sure the tomatoes are not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Add salt and rasam powder and turn the flame back on to medium to medium - high.
- Add water, stir and bring it to a boil.
- Turn the flame back on to low and let it cook for 5 minutes.

Rasam ready :)