Lentil Soup or Ulava Charu or Lentil Rasam

To make rasam powder

1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp urad daal
1 tsp chana daal
2 red dry chillies

Dry roast all ingredients for rasam powder and grind into powder using coffee blender. Keep aside.

1 cup lentils (ulavalu/horse gram)
6 cups water (more if necessary)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp tamarind paste
1/4 tsp turmeric

Seasoning:

1 tsp mustard seeds
4 or 5 curry leaves
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp urad daal
2 dry red chillies
3 cloves garlic (crushed)

Boil lentils in water with turmeric until lentils are cooked. Add more water if necessary. Let cool. Blend lentils into paste using a spatula or if you are using a blender make sure paste does not become too fine. Fry all seasoning ingredients except garlic in oil until mustard cracks. Add garlic after mustard cracks. Add the seasoning mix to lentil paste. Mix well. Add salt, tamarind paste and 1 tbsp rasam powder and mix thoroughly and let this liquid boil. Turn it off after boiling point.