Lemon Rasam

Ingredients

Main	Spices	Tadka	Generic
1 large Tomato	1 pinch Turmeric	1 tsp Mustard Seeds	Ghee
1-2 Fresh Lemons	1 tsp Grated Ginger	1 tsp Jeera	Salt
1/4 cup Yellow Split Moong Dal	2 Slit Green Chillies	1 pinch Hing
	1/2 tsp Rasam Powder	4-5 Curry Leaves
	Tamarind	Fresh Dhania

Method
Pressure cook and mash the Moong Dal
Finely chop the tomatoes.
Make a very light and mild extract of tamarind in about 4 cups of water.
If using ready-made extract, use about 1/2 tsp only.
In a pot, add 1 tsp ghee and add the split green chillies. Roast for half a minute and add the grated ginger and chopped tomatoes.
Saute for a couple minutes until the tomato gets mushy.
Add the tamarind water, turmeric, salt, rasam powder and bring to a boil.
Once boiled, set it on a medium simmer for about 10 minutes and let it froth at the rim.
Add the mashed Moong Dal to this and boil for a minute.
Switch off the stove and add the juice of 2 lemons.
In a skillet, add 2 tsp ghee and splutter the mustard seeds in it.
Add jeera, hing and curry leaves and roast well.
Add this tadka to the rasam, season with fresh Dhania and serve.

Notes
Boiling the rasam after adding lemons brings in a bitter taste. Make sure the heat is turned off before adding the lemon juice.
Let the Rasam sit for about 15-20 minutes before serving. This lets the tanginess of lemon juice set in well and makes it very flavourful.