Ingredients:

• 6 – tender baby Brinjals
• 1 – small Lemon sized Tamarind
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp – toor dhal
• 2 tbsp – cooking oil
• A pinch of Hing
• For grinding:
• 4 – Red Chillies
• 1/2 tsp – Black Peppercorns
• 2 tsp – Channa dhal
• 1 tbsp – Coriander seeds
• For seasoning:
• 1 tsp – cooking oil/ghee
• 1 tsp – Mustard Seeds
• A few Curry leaves

Method:

1. Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of water and extract the juice.
2. Pressure cook the toor dhal and keep it aside.
3. Clean the brinjals and slit them vertically while retaining the stalks. Immerse them in water to avoid discolouration.
4. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add the peppercorns, red chilli, coriander seeds and channa dhal. Fry.
5. Grind the ingredients to a powder.
6. Add 1 tbsp of oil and fry the brinjals. Keep the fried brinjals aside.
7. Heat the pan and add the tamarind extract juice, salt, hing and curry leaves. Bring to a boil.
8. Now add the fried brinjals and simmer for 5 mins.
9. Add the ground powder to the mixture and boil for 2 mins.
10. Now add the smashed thur dhal and take off the heat.
11. In a separate pan, heat the ghee to temper the mustard seeds.
12. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the curry leaves. Add these to the rasam.
13. Serve hot with rice.
14. Recipe & image courtesy: www.subbuskitchen.com