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1
With the help of a pestle, pound ginger, garlic and whole black peppercorns in a mortar as nicely as you can until the peppercorns are completely crushed and the ginger and garlic are completely softened.
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2
Keep aside.
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3
Extract tamarind pulp out of tamarind by soaking 4-5 one-inch sized pieces in 1 1/2 cups of hot water.
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4
Press these tamarind pieces to squeeze out the juice/pulp out of the tamarind.
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5
Transfer the tamarind pulp in a clean bowl.
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6
Keep aside.
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7
Heat oil in a pot on medium-high flame.
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8
When its hot, add mustard seeds, methi seeds and cumin seeds.
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9
Allow to splutter and crackle.
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10
Once it stops spluttering and crackling, add curry leaves and green chillies.
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11
Stir-fry for a minute or two.
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12
Then add the whole red chillies and stir-fry for another minute.
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13
Add the above prepared ginger-garlic-black peppercorns mixture to the pot.
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14
Mix well.
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15
Then add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and corriander powder.
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16
Mix well and continue to stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.
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17
Put the chopped tomatoes in a bowl and crush them as tightly as you can between the palms of your hands.
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18
Squeeze them as well as you can to extract the juice/pulp out of them.
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19
Now add the crushed tomatoes alongwith the juice squeezed out.
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20
Mix well, add 1/4 cup of water and cook on high flame so as to allow the tomatoes to soften quickly.
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21
Add salt and mix well.
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22
Then add the boiled toor dal water (or 3 cups of plain water if you are using that).
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23
Stir well and bring to a boil.
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24
Lower flame, then add about 7 cups more of water.
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25
You can add upto 3-4 cups more also, if required.
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26
Mix well and allow it to boil for 15 minutes.
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27
Then add tamarind pulp and stir well.
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28
Boil for 10-15 more minutes.
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29
Garnish with corriander leaves and serve hot as a soup on its own or as a lentil curry to serve over rice with/without plain low-fat yogurt on the side.
