Kollu / (horse gram)rasam

Ingredients:

• Sesame oil-1 tsp
• Cumin -1/2 tsp
• Whole black pepper- 1 tsp
• Tomato -1
• Tamarind - 1 tsp tightly packed
• Horse gram/ kollu -3 tbsp
• Coriander leaves - for garnish
• Turmeric powder - 1/8 tsp
• Jaggery - 1/4 tsp ( optional)
• Salt - to taste

To temper :

• Sesame oil -1 tsp
• Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - few
• Asafoetida- few pinches

Method :

• Wash kollu , add water to it and Pressure cook kollu for 5 whistles.
• Strain the water and reserve it to add later.
• In a pan add a tsp of oil followed by pepper,cumin,garlic. Saute well till you get nice aroma. Then add tomato and 4 tsp of kollu. Cook till tomato turns mushy.
• Allow it to cool and grind them to smooth paste by adding required water.
• In a pan add sesame oil,and temper with items mentioned under 'to temper'.
• Now add tamarind extract, turmeric powder and cook for a min.
• When it boils add ground kollu paste ,add required salt  ,drained kollu waterand water and allow it to cook in low flame for 4 mins. When it is about to boil add coriander leaves , jaggery and turn off the flame.
• Serve hot.

Notes:

• Grinding kollu and adding thickens rasam so add accordingly.
• Kollu rasam tastes best the next day. So you can refrigerate and have.
• You can make the rasam quite water and have it as soup.
• Adjust spice to your preference.