Beetroot Rasam

Ingredients:

1/2 cup beetroot, peeled and chopped

1/2 cup tomato, chopped

1/2 tsp pepper corn

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp coriander seeds

2+1 dry red chillies

big gooseberry sized tamarind

3 garlic cloves, chopped

1 sprig curry leaves

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp asafoetida

1 tbsp ghee

salt to taste

2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

Preparation:

1. Soak tamarind in little water, extract its juice and keep it aside.
2. In a pan, dry roast pepper corns, cumin seeds, coriander seeds and 2 dry red chillies until slightly browned. Cool down and grind it to a coarse powder and keep it aside.
3. Heat 1 cup water in a pan and add chopped beetroot and tomato and cook for 8-10 minutes.
4. Switch off the flame and let it cool. Then grind to a make a coarse puree.
5. In a pan, add beetroot puree, tamarind paste, garlic cloves, curry leaves and 2 cups of water and cook on low flame for 8-10 minutes.
6. Add the roasted powder and salt and cook on medium flame until the raw smell goes and the rasam boils well.
7. Heat ghee in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and add asafoetida and 1 dry red chilli.
8. Pour this to the rasam and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.. Serve with rice...