Red Gram Dal		1/3 cup
	Hot Water		1 cup
	Drum Sticks		4-5
	Tamarind Pulp		a lemon-sized
	Ground Turmeric		½ tsp.
	Salt			to taste
	Water (extra)		21/2 cups
	Coriander Leaves 	chopped
  Paste:

	Oil			2 tsp.
	Red Chilies		4 nos.
	Asafetida Pdr.		1/2 tsp.
	Coriander Seeds		1 tsp.
	Black Pepper Corn	1tsp.
		Gram dal		11/2 tsp.
	Fresh Coconut 		2tbs.
	or
	Flaked Coconut 		21/2 tbs.
	Water			1 little
  For Tempering
	Mustard Seeds		1 tsp.
	Ghee			2 tsp.
	Cumin Seeds		1/2 tsp.
	Red Chili	 	1
	Curry Leaves		a few

	

• Wash and drain dal and place in a heavy sauce pan.
• Cover with 1 cup water and bring to boil. when boiling, cover pan with lid leaving slightly ajar.
• Lower the heat and simmer the dal for 1½ hours. Stir several times during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
• Set dal aside without draining.
  Paste:
  
• Heat 2 tsp. oil in a heavy pan or skillet.
• Add red chilies, asafoetida coriander seeds, black peppercorn, and gram dal.
• Saute for 2-3 minutes. Place in an electric blender or food processor.
• Add the grated coconut and a little water, blend ingredients to a fine paste.
• Set aside.
• Scrape the drumsticks kernels.
• Place drumstick in a saucepan with just enough water to cover.
• Boil until just tender.
• Reserve the cooking water, set both aside or simply use the canned drumsticks.
• Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of hot water for 15 minutes.
• Strain the tamarind water into another container, sqeezing as much liquid as possible out of the tamarind pulp. Discard pulp.
• Pour tamarind juice into a heavy saucepan.
• Add salt to taste and ground turmeric.
• Now add the boiled drumstick.
• Simmer until the raw smell of the tamarind disappear.
• Now add the paste and un-drained cooked dal, Add more water if needed .
• Simmer until thoroughly blended.
  Tempering:
  
• Heat 2 tsp. ghee in a heavy pan or skillet.
• Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds halved red chill and a few curry leaves.
• When the mustard seeds splutter add this mixture to the rasam.
• Garnish the rasam with chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve hot.
  *if you are unable to buy the fresh drumsticks, they are available in canned from asian food market.

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