Set the toor dal to cook either on stovetop or in a pressure cooker. Don’t add too much water, just enough to make a thick dal.

Meanwhile, using a mortar and pestle or molcajete, smash together the cumin, mild green chillies, garlic, and the peppercorns until they’re combined into a rough paste. Remove the inner stalks of the pepper strands as the peppercorns themselves come loose in the pounding. If you’re using a food processor, be sure to remove the inner stalks first and then add the ingredients to the processor jar.

Once the dal is cooked soft, beat it well with a spoon to break up the pulses.

Return this to a pot on a medium flame. Add a cup or two of water to dilute and then the turmeric.

Follow with the rasam powder and then the green peppercorn-garlic mixture. Wash the grinding stone with a little water, and add this, too.

Add salt to taste.

Now allow the rasam to heat through—it will start to get foamy. Reduce the heat to minimum and prepare the tempering.

Heat the ghee in a small tempering pan, and follow quickly with all other dry ingredients. Once these crackle and splutter, add the curry leaves and julienned ginger, if using.

Fry until the curry leaves are starting to crisp, and pour this directly on top of the foaming rasam.

Turn off the flame right away.

Now add the juice of a whole lemon, or to taste. You can also add jaggery to taste if you like.

Toss in the chopped coriander leaves and stems and allow to wilt in the hot rasam.

Serve hot with a soft white table rice like a semi-polished kullakar or parboiled polished iluppaipoo samba.