Pacha Kurumulaku Rasam / Green Peppercorn Rasam

Ingredients:

1/4 cup toor dal

4 bunch ( 2 tbsp) green peppercorn/ pacha kurumulaku

5 garlic cloves

1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 green chillies, slit

1 sprig curry leaves

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

a pinch of asafoetida

2 tbsp coriander leaves

1 lemon

salt to taste

1 tbsp ghee/ oil

Preparation:

1. Pressure cook the toor dal with a cup of water till soft. Once the steam releases, open the cooker and mash the cooked dal until mushy with a masher or backside of a ladle. Keep it aside.
2. Grind the green peppercorns, garlic and cumin seeds together as a coarse paste and keep it aside.
3. Heat ghee in a pan and splutter mustard seeds. Add slit green chillies and curry leaves and saute.
4. Then add the mashed toor dal with 2-3 cups of water, turmeric powder, ground paste, asafoetida , chopped coriander leaves and salt and boil on low-medium flame until froth starts forming at the top. 
5. Switch off the flame and squeeze the lemon juice. Mix well and then serve with rice...