In a wide vessel add small gooseberry-sized tamarind soaked in warm water for 10 minutes.

 Add little coriander leaves.

 Grind 2 tomatoes and filter this through a metal strainer by adding 1 cup of water.

 This will give a clear rasam without making it cloudy. If you want you can add it as it is.

 Grind the pepper, cumin seeds, and curry leaves coarsely.

 Add this to the vessel.

 Peel the skin of the garlic and slightly crush them using a mortar and pestle and add it to the vessel.

 Tear 2 red chili and drop it in the tomato mixture.

 Add turmeric powder, asafoetida, and salt.

 With clean hands nicely mix the tomato mixture for 2 minutes. This will bring out the flavors of the ingredients.

 Transfer this to a pan and cook this till it froths up. Keep the flame low.

 Once it froths up switch off the flame.

 Temper with mustard seeds and add some coriander leaves.

 You can add few chopped tomatoes to the top.

 cover it and keep for 5 minutes and then serve the garlic rasam with hot rice.