Ingredients:

• 1 big Lemon size poornam (toovar dal, Jaggery paste)
• 1.5 tsp – thick Tamarind paste
• 1/2 tsp – Jeera
• 10 Methi seeds
• 1 tbsp – chopped Onion
• 4 Cloves Garlic
• 1/2 tsp – Red Chilli powder
• 8 pepper Corns
• 10 Curry leaves
• 1/2 tbsp – chopped, Coriander leaves
• 1/2 tbsp – oil
• a few drops of Ghee for tempering (optional)
• 1/4 tsp – Mustard Seeds
• hing/asafoetida, a pinch (optional)
• 1 Red Chilli
• salt

Method:

1. Mix drained dal water and oliga poornam.
2. Make 1/2 litre by adding required amount of water.
3. Add tamarind paste and salt and keep aside.
4. Heat 2 tsp of oil, add jeera, pepper corn methi seeds, cloves of garlic, chopped onion and curry leaves.
5. Fry till onion turns translucent and seeds become light brown.
6. Remove from fire and make a course paste in mixer.
7. Add this paste, red chilli powder and haldi to above dal water.
8. Heat remaining oil in kadai, add mustard seeds, hing and red chilli and fry for a sec.
9. Pour the prepared dal water into kadai .
10. Allow it to boil for a min.
11. Remove from fire, sprinkle chopped coriander leaves.
12. Serve with hot plain rice and papad.

Recipe courtesy of Uma Devi Ramachandra