How to make rasam?

Ingredients:
one small lemon sized tamarind ball
ripe tomato - 1
rasam powder 2tsps
thur dhal 1tbsp
water 500 ml

for seasoning:
rai 1tsp
jeera 1tsp
heeng
curry leaves
fresh dhania leaves

Procedure:

Pressure cook the thur dhal, mash it and keep aside.
Soak the tamarind and take out thick extract.
Boil and mash the tomato and keep aside. ( Can even cook the dhal and tomato together with some haldi and heeng )
To the tamarind extract add rasam powder, haldi and let it boil. Let the raw smell of tamarind go.
Then add the tomato and cooked dhal and salt to it. Add as much water as required.
Just when it comes to a boil can switch off the stove.

Then do the seasoning over this rasam preferably with a little ghee and add the coriander leaves at the end.

Cover the rasam until served so that the flavour doesn't escape.

This I learnt from my friend Vidya.