Lemon Rasam

No South Indian meal is complete with out rasam and there are so many varieties of rasam's which are prepared at our home.This is one of the most simple rasam's which can be prepared in a matter of 5 mins provided you have cooked dal in your hand already.Cooked dal is tempered with ginger and green chillies and lemon juice is added to give the tangy ness to the rasam instead of adding tamarind pulp.This can be even savored as a soup when you are ill.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Toor dal/Masoor dal/Moong dal
4-5 green chillies,slitted
1/4 tsp turmeric/haldi
1/4 tsp finely chopped ginger(optional)
2-3 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped coriander
salt to taste

for Tadka:
1 tsp Cumin seeds/jeera
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
8-10 curry leaves
6-8 black peppercorns,slightly crushed
a pinch of hing/asafoetida
1 tsp ghee



Method:
Pressure cook dal with little turmeric for 3 whistles until soft.Mash it with a back of laddle slightly.Add in enough water ,salt and let it come to a boil.In the Mean while heat ghee in the tadka pan and crackle mustard seeds and jeera.Add finely chopped ginger,crushed black pepper and green chillies and fry for a couple of minutes.Add curry leaves and hing and mix well.Pour this into the boiling rasam and add coriander leaves and let it boil.Now mix it properly and switch off the stove.Add lemon juice and give a stir.
Serve hot with rice,any vegetable fry and papad.

Note:
If you use masoor dal,you can directly cook it on the stove for 10-12 minutes and then proceed with the same procedure.Though moong dal and Toor dal can be cooked on the stove top,it takes bit longer to get cooked.So better cook them in the pressure cooker.Add lemon at the end after you switch off the stove,otherwise it will turn bitter.