Carrot Sertha Beetroot Rasam from Usha Prabakaran's Upcoming Cookbook

This recipe is an excerpt from Usha Prabakaran’s soon-to-be-released cookbook, 1,000 Rasam Recipes.

A deep purple rasam with the goodness of beetroot, carrot and spices, it also has the added benefit of being pleasing to the eye. Read more about Usha Prabakaran and her important contributions to Indian food writing here.

Ingredients
3 tbsp beetroot, julienned
2 tbsp carrot, cut to matchsticks and cooked with 2 cups (400 ml) water
2 medium tomatoes, crushed in 1 cup (200 ml) water
A generous pinch of chilli powder
A pinch of turmeric powder
Sugar & salt to taste
¼ tsp peppercorns
A little cumin, dry roasted and powdered 
Juice of 1 lemon, or to taste

Seasoning
1 tsp ghee/oil
2 unpeeled garlic cloves, pounded 

Garnish
A little cooked beetroot sticks
A few cooked carrot sticks
2 tsp chopped green coriander 

Method
Strain the cooked beetroot and carrot. Reserve the liquid. Purée a small portion of cooked beetroot and carrot, retaining a few of each, for garnish.
Combine beetroot-carrot liquid with crushed tomato and bring mixture to the boil.
Add chili, turmeric powders, sugar and salt into boiling rasam mixture.
Stir in pepper-cumin mix and continue heating mixture until fine aroma emanates.
Take rasam off the stove and season with pounded garlic fried in ghee.
Allow rasam to cool a little and stir in lemon juice.
Garnish rasam with julienned beetroot, carrot matchsticks and chopped green coriander.
Stir well, cover and set aside.

Banner image credit: Babi’s Cooking

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