Wash the toor dal and add 2 tomatoes into it.

Add ½ tsp of turmeric powder and 1 cup of water.

Pressure cook this till 4 whistles.

Soak small gooseberry-sized tamarind in hot water and extract 1.5 cups of tamarind water.

Grind the garlic, pepper, cumin seeds, few curry leaves, few coriander leaves, green chili into a coarse paste.

Alternatively you can pound them in the mortar and pestle too.

Mash the cooked toor dal and tomato nicely using a whisk.

If you want, you can take out the skin of the tomato also.

In a pan add the oil and add mustard seeds, red chili, and venthayam.

I forgot to add the red chili.

Once it splutters, add the coarsely ground paste.

Saute for a minute.

Now add the tamarind extract.

Add ½ tsp turmeric powder and asafoetida.

Let this boil for 5 minutes.

Now add in the cooked toor dal mixture.

Add 2 cups of water.

At this stage, add salt to taste.

Let this froths up.

Switch off the flame and few coriander leaves and curry leaves.

Enjoy Rasam with Hot rice.