Tomato Rasam (Soup) with Dhal

Ingredients:

• Toor Dhal - 1 cup
• Tomato - 1 big
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Ghee or Cooking oil - 1/4 tsp
• Tamarind - pebble sized
• Rasam Powder - 1 tbsp
• Curry Leaves - 1 stalk
• Coriander Leaves (optional) - 1 tbsp when chopped 

For garnishing:

• Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida - A pinch
• Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Procedure:

1. Wash toor dhal thoroughly and add enough water to immerse the dhal well into it (about 2.5 cups of water). 
2. Add few drops of ghee/cooking oil and turmeric powder into the vessel with dhal.
3. Chop the tomato into 2 halves and add to dhal (You can alternatively chop tomato into smaller pieces and add later during 7. along with other ingredients while boiling).
4. Place vessel into pressure cooker and cook for 3 whistles. Remember to put water inside pressure cooker.
5. Remove tomato from cooked dhal, mash it separately, throw away the skin and add the mashed tomato back into the dhal.
6. Soak tamarind for about 10 minutes and extract juice. You can throw away the remaining pulp.
7. Place cooked dhal on medium flame and boil for 5 minutes.
8. Add salt and rasam powder and let it boil for 5 to 10 minutes.
9. Now add tamarind extract, curry leaves and coriander leaves and continue to boil for another 5 to 7 minutes till you can smell the lovely aroma of rasam.
10. For garnishing, heat ghee in a small iron skillet. Once ghee is heated, add mustard seeds till they splutter, and then add the asafoetida. Add the mixture to the rasam.
11. Serve hot with cooked rice and ghee.