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Beetroot Rasam

Ingredients

Beeroot 1 if big, two if small.
Tomatoes 3 if small, 2 if big.
Tur dhal 1 1/2 cups.
Tamarind 2 tsp if paste is used, or a small lemon sized amount if raw tamarind is used.
Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
Kozhambu Milagai Podi 1 1/2 tbsp
Vellam (jaggery) a very little amount (this is used to compensate the dish incase, you make the rasam very spicy).
Salt to taste.
Corriander leaves to garnish (one can add a good amount of this so that, the whole dish smells so yummy).
Curry leaves 4 or 5 leaves.
Ghee a very little amount in order to season the rasam.
Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp for seasoning.
Jeeragam (jeera) 1/8 tsp for seasoning.
Asafoetida (perungayam) a pinch (for execellent aroma)

Method:

1. Cut the beetroots into very small cubes. Also cut the tomatoes the same way.
2. Make a small bowl of tamarind liquid with the above said amount.
3. Now take a medium sized vessel into which, you add the tamarind liquid, tomatoes and the beetroots and boil in medium flame. Add turmeric powder, salt, kozhambu milagai podi and let everything boil till the beets are tender.
4. Meanwhile, boil tur dhal in the cooker and mash it well till it becomes like baby food, make the mixture to thick liquid by adding 3/4 glass of water to the mashed up tur dhal.
5. Now add the dhal liquid to the boiling mixture and let it simmer in low flame. Add the asafoetida powder, little bit of the coriander leaves and the curry leaves.
6. When the whole dish foams up and little bubbles start to come, in another burner season some mustard seeds, jeera seeds in little ghee and add the seasoning to the simmering rasam.
7. Then add the rest of the coriander leaves and the curry leaves for garnish and switch off the flame.

Yummy beetroot rasam is ready to be tasted. The colour of the rasam will be in the color of the beets which makes it all the more enjoyable. This can be with rice like another rasam.