Beets or beetroot is a nutritious vegetable with several health benefits. It provides vitamin C, folate, dietary fiber to promote bowel movements and it is recommended for heart, brain, blood, and eye health. There are many ways to include beets in our diet. During winter one can prepare hot rasam and drink like soup before a meal.

Try this simple beetroot rasam recipe at home.

Ingredients:

1. Beetroot – small cut /grated – 1.5 cup
2. Grated coconut – 2 Tbsp
3. Garlic -5-6 cloves
4. Onion -1 small
5. Red chili -1
6. Green chilies -2
7. Curry leaves – few
8. Tamarind juice – ½ cup
9. Rasam or chili powder – ½ tsp
10. Mustard -1/2 tsp
11. Cumin – 1 tsp
12. Asafetida – Pinch (optional)
13. Salt – as per taste
14. Coriander -1/4 cup -chopped

Preparation:

1. Wash and peel beetroot skin. Grate or chop into small pieces. Cook beetroot for about 10 minutes with little water.
2. After cooling, grind the beetroot with coconut and very little water (2 Tbsp), transfer to rasam vessel.
3. Heat oil in a deep pan on medium heat– add cumin, mustard, green chili, red chili. Once mustard splutters add crushed garlic, thinly sliced onion, and curry leaves. Fry onion and garlic to golden brown color.
4. Transfer contents from deep pan to beetroot puree, add tamarind juice, salt, asafetida, turmeric and mix well. Adjust quantity with required amount of water.
5. Add rasam or chili powder and continue boiling.
6. Boil the beetroot rasam, garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with rice or pour to drinking cups.

Image credit: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1080732 (cc by 0)