Paruppu Urundai Rasam / Lentil Dumplings in Spicy Broth ~ Day 129

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Preparation time: 15 minutes + 1-hour soaking time

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Serves: 6

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Ingredients:

For the Paruppu urundai / dumplings:

• Toor dal - 3/4 cup
• Chana dal - 1/4 cup
• Red chilies - 6
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Curry leaves - few
• Salt - to taste
• Rice flour - 2 tbsp
• Sesame oil / Nallennai - 1 tbsp

For the rasam powder:

• Toor dal - 1 tbsp
• Whole black pepper - 2 tsp
• Cumin seeds - 2 tsp
• Red chilies - 2
• Curry leaves - 3

For the Rasam:

• Tamarind juice - 1 cup (soak a small lemon sized tamarind in hot water, squeeze the juice and discard the pulp)
• Turmeric powder - 1/4tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Salt - to taste
• Ground rasam powder
• Fresh coriander leaves
• Ghee / clarified butter - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Method:

1. Soak the toor dal, chana dal, and red chilies in enough water for 1 hour. Drain the water completely after soaking and grind into a coarse paste along with asafoetida and curry leaves.  Transfer the paste into a bowl and add the rice flour, salt, and sesame oil. Mix well and set it aside.
2. Dry roast all the ingredients for the rasam powder until aromatic.  Let cool and make a fine powder.  
3. In a wide-bottom saucepan, combine the tamarind juice, ground rasam powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and salt along with 4 cups of water.   Bring it to a boil.
4. Take a small golf ball size ground dal mixture and make a ball and drop it gently into the boiling broth.  Add 4 balls at a time at each corner of the saucepan.   DO NOT STIR THE BROTH  after dropping the lentil balls.  Let it boil gently until the dumplings start to float to the top.  Add 4 more ball and again wait for them to float.  Repeat with the remaining dough.  
5. Cook the rasam with the dumplings for 10 more minutes on medium heat. 
6. Heat ghee in a small skillet.  Splutter mustard seeds and add it to the rasam.  Add the coriander leaves and mix gently.
7. Serve hot with steamed rice with a dollop of ghee.