Zesty Rasam

This is a quick and easy recipe ideal for someone who is busy or is sick or when you don't have access to the typical spices needed to make the regular rasam. The base recipe I got from my college days, when I was a newly married. The front office manager at the dental college and hospital I studied was a nice Tamil lady, Rajeshwari. She gave me this recipe when I told her about my failed experiment making rasam, and of my hubbie commenting that it was more of a tomato curry!
And this one turned out to be a big hit with my husband and it was so easy to make that he himself could make it once in a while.
Ingredients:
Peppercorns - 1tbsp (or according to your preference of spiciness)
Tomato - 2 numbers, cut into small pieces
Garlic - 3 cloves
Cilantro - 1/2 cup, chopped
Mustard seed - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Dried red chilli - 1 no
Vegetable oil or ghee - 1 tbsp
Hing(asafoetida) - a pinch (optional)


Method
Crush the peppercorns and garlic. Add the chopped tomatoes and cilantro and mash it all together slightly  with your hands. Now heat a pan with the oil. Add mustard seeds and when it starts to splutter, add curry leaves, red chilli and hing. After about 5 seconds add the crushed tomato mix to this. Add about 1 1/2 cups of water and enough salt. When this starts to boil, remove from fire and your zesty rasam is ready.