Menasina Saaru

Ingredients

• - green chilli saaru
• - Small tamarind ball
• - 2 tomatoes
• - 4 garlic cloves
• - 1.5 tsp saaru pudi (saaru powder)
• - 1/4 tsp turmeric
• - 1 tsp ghee
• - 1 tsp mustard seeds
• - 1 sprig curry leaves
• - Salt to taste
• - Fresh coriander

Method

1. Cook toor dal: Wash 3 tbsp toor dal. Pressure cook for 4 whistles. Mash smooth.
2. Soak tamarind: Soak marble-sized tamarind in 1 cup water. Extract and strain.
3. Make menasina (pepper) rasam powder: Dry roast 2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp cumin, half tsp coriander seeds and 2 dried red chillies. Grind fine.
4. Combine: In a pan add tamarind water, mashed dal, 1.5 cups water, freshly ground pepper-rasam powder, half tsp turmeric and salt.
5. Bring to boil: Cook on medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil.
6. Add tomato: Add 1 crushed tomato to the boiling rasam. Cook 5 minutes.
7. Simmer: Reduce heat and simmer 8 minutes. Menasina saaru should be thin and intensely peppery.
8. Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp ghee. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they pop add asafoetida, curry leaves and 1 dried red chilli.
9. Pour tempering: Pour sizzling ghee tempering into the saaru.
10. Serve: Garnish with fresh coriander. Menasina saaru is Karnataka's celebrated pepper rasam — a digestive and immune booster. Serve over steamed rice.