Rasam (lentil soup)

step 1
Soak tamarind in 1 cup hot water breaking the lumps.

step 2
Bring two cups of water to boil. Rinse toor dal and add it to the boiling water with turmeric and chopped garlic. Cook until soft.

step 3
Mish mash the soaked tamarind and Strain through a sieve. In a saucepan mix tamarind paste, rasam powder, blanched cubed tomatoes, black pepper and salt. Bring it to boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add cooked lentil. Blend everything with a hand blender and let it simmer for 5 more minutes. Add more water to make it liquify.

step 4
In the meantime heat oil for tempering in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter add curry leaves and broken dry red chillies. stir well. Pour the tempering over the prepared Rasam and serve hot with cooked quinoa.

step 5
You can add quinoa to your soup or drink without it. Both ways it tastes good.

step 6
If you want to make your own rasam powder here is the recipe.

Rasam Powder
1/2 cup coriander seeds
1.5 tbsp cumin seeds
3/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp black pepper corns
1/4 tsp methi seeds ( fenugreek seeds)
1/2 tbsp red chilly powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
Method:
Grind first five ingredients in a coffee grinder. Remove the ground powder in a bowl. Add turmeric powder and red chilly powder. Store the powder in an air tight bottle.