Rasam

Rinse the toor dal, cover with 500 ml water and cook for 20–25 minutes until the grains are completely soft; mash them with a spoon along with the cooking liquid.

Dissolve the tamarind paste in 250 ml warm water and let sit for 5 minutes.

In a dry skillet over low heat, toast the black pepper, cumin, coriander seeds and dried red chili for 1–2 minutes, taking care not to let them darken; grind the mixture into a coarse powder.

Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the mustard seeds and wait until they start to sputter. Add the curry leaves and minced garlic, and sauté for 20–30 seconds.

Add the chopped tomatoes and turmeric, and cook for 5–7 minutes until the tomatoes soften.

Pour in the tamarind water, add the mashed lentils, the spice mix, salt and the remaining water. Bring to a first boil, then simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, avoiding a hard boil.

Remove the rasam from the heat, stir in the chopped cilantro, cover and let it rest for 2 minutes. Serve hot as a light soup.