Poricha Rasam

          I make rasam only once or twice a week, because it's only during the weekends, we have a full course meal for lunch, the other days I pack lunch, it's either rotis or some rice and most of the days and I make only the simple tomato and garlic rasam, once in a while I make a different one. Coming to today's Poricha Rasam, we use two varieties of dal/lentils, tuvar and moong dal and a ground paste of coconut and other spices. This rasam is slightly thicker and the flavor from the ground paste is awesome and usually I make this rasam on days that I don't make sambar. When mixed with rice, it tastes divine with some pappads or potato curry on the side..

Need To Have

• Tuvar Dal/Split Pigeon Peas - 1/4 cup
• Moong Dal/Husked Split Green Gram - 2 tablespoons
• Tomato - 1 small, chopped
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Mustard Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Dried Red Chilly - 1
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 teaspoon
• Curry Leaves - 10
• Chopped Coriander- 2 tablespoons
• Lemon Juice - from half a lemon
• Salt to taste

To Grind

• Coriander Seeds -1+1/2 teaspoon
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
• Black Peppercorns - 1/2 teaspoon
• Dried Red Chilly - 1
• Urad Dal/Husked Black Gram - 1 teaspoon
• Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
• Grated Coconut - 1+1/2 tablespoon
• Curry Leaves - 6

Method

          Heat a little oil and roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds black pepper, red chilly and urad dal given under ' to grind ', then grind it with the coconut and curry leaves and keep.

           Pressure cook both the tuvar dal and moong dal and keep. Heat some oil+ghee, add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds, when it starts sputtering, add the dried red chilly followed by the curry leaves. Then add the chopped tomato ( use naatu thakkali/tangy and juicy countryside tomato ), mix for a minute, then add the cooked dal.

          Now add 1+1/2 cup of water, salt, turmeric powder, bring to a boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the ground paste, another 1/4 cup of water and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add the chopped coriander and the lemon juice, remove and serve it.

Note
You can serve this rasam as a soup too.
You can use only oil, but ghee gives a nice flavor.