Gooseberry Rasam (Nellikai)

Ingredients

• 6 gooseberry or star gooseberry (depending on availability), de-seeded

• 1 tsp peppercorns

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 2 tomatoes

• 1 marble-sized tamarind ball

•1/4 tsp turmeric powder

• 3-4 green chillies

• 1/4 cup toor dal, cooked

• jaggery as per taste

• salt to taste

• 1/6 tsp asafoetida

• 1-2 sprig curry leaves

For tempering

• 2 dried red chillies

• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds

Method

Grind the gooseberry, peppercorns, cumin seeds and tomatoes into a paste.

In a pot, cook the tamarind extract along with salt, turmeric, curry leaves, asafoetida and green chillies for 2-3 minutes till the raw smell of tamarind goes off. Now add the gooseberry paste. Once it begins to boil, add the cooked toor dal.

(Note: gooseberry shouldn’t be boiled for a longer duration). Add 2 cups of water, jaggery and cook till it becomes frothy.

Switch off the flame.

Temper this rasam with mustard seeds and dried red chillies in ghee. Cover the pot with a lid.