Fast Rasam

Ingredients:

1. 2 tablespoons oil
2. 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
3. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
4. 1 teaspoon methi seeds
5. 1 teaspoon channa dal
6. 2 dried red chilies, broken into pieces
7. 3 cups water
8. 1/2 teaspoon tamarind paste
9. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
10. 1 teaspoon salt
11. 1 tablespoon sambhar powder
12. 1 cup tomato juice
13. 1-2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

Method:

• In a medium size saucepan put the oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, methi seeds (also known as fenugreek seeds), chana dal, and the dried red chili pieces. Heat over high heat until the mustard seeds pop for about 15 seconds.
• Quickly stir in the water and tamarind paste. Add the turmeric, salt and rasam powder (available at Indian spice stores), and stir again. The recipe ingredients state to add 1 Tablespoon sambhar powder, but it should actually be rasam powder. The computer would not accept the word rasam.
• Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes. Add the tomato juice and simmer 5 more minutes.
• Turn off heat and garnish with the cilantro.
• Instead of the dried red chili pieces, you can use one or two serrano chilies, sliced in half length-wise.
• If you have tomatoes that you want to use up, increase the water to 4 cups, eliminate the tomato juice, and add the tomatoes after the mustard seeds have popped.