1.5 tsp rasam powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
a pinch of asafoetida
1 lemon-sized ball of tamarind
3 cups water
1/2 cup toor dal
1 cup pineapple pieces (roughly copped)
1 ripe tomato (finely diced)
For garnish
1.5 tsp mustard seeds
6-7 curry leaves
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 green chillies (roughly chopped)
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
and some corriander leaves (cilantro)
Protocol:
Pressure cook toor dal with 1.5 cups of water for 3 whistles. Mash when its still hot.
Soak tamarind in 1/2 cup of warm water for 30 mins-1 hr. Squeeze all the juice out of the tamarind and throw away the pulp.
In a wok, add tamarind water, rasam powder, turmeric and asafoetida and cook on low flame till the raw smell of the rasam powder is gone.
Add the mashed toor dal to the wok and cook for 4-5 minutes
Now add the tomato, pineapple, and 1 cup of water to the mixture and allow to simmer for 5 - 10 minutes till the tomato pieces are not visible and a light froth begins to form at the top.
Garnish (Tadka)
Heat the ghee in a separate pan and add mustard and cumin seeds to the ghee.
Once the mustard seeds start to sputter, add green chillies and curry leaves and saute for 2 mins.
Add the hot garnish to the pineapple rasam.
Top it off with corriander leaves.
