Thili Saaru

Ingredients

• - thin garlic 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 half cup toor dal. Pressure cook with 1.5 cups water for 4 whistles. Mash completely smooth and thin with water.
2. Soak tamarind: Soak marble-sized tamarind in 1 cup warm water. Extract and strain.
3. Combine saaru: In a pot combine tamarind water, mashed dal, 1.5 cups more water, half tsp turmeric and salt.
4. Add rasam powder: Add 1.5 tsp Karnataka rasam powder, half tsp pepper powder and half tsp cumin powder. Stir well.
5. Bring to boil: Cook on medium heat until boiling. The surface will froth — this is normal.
6. Add tomato: Add 1 crushed tomato. Cook 5 more minutes.
7. Simmer: Reduce heat and simmer 8 minutes.
8. Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp ghee. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they pop add a generous pinch of asafoetida, curry leaves and 1 dried red chilli.
9. Pour tempering: Pour sizzling ghee tempering into the thili saaru.
10. Serve: Adjust salt. Thili saaru is Karnataka's everyday thin rasam. Serve over steamed rice with a tsp of ghee.