Tomatoes at times, be replaced with ingredients like tamarind or kokum or completely avoided. Using a tomato replacement, a chef feels, will not change the overall taste of the dish one is cooking.
Beetroot Rasam may be had like a soup or with steamed rice and any bhaji/sabji.
Ingredients
For the rasam
2 medium-sized beetroot, cleaned and peeled
1 lemon-sized ball of imli or tamarind, soaked in water
5-6 pods garlic
2-3 green chilies
curry leaves
1 red chili, torn open
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
Salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp turmeric powder
Water
For the rasam powder
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
Method
To make the rasam powder
In a heavy-bottomed kadhai or saucepan, dry roast the jeera, the coriander seeds, the fenugreek seeds and the peppercorns over low heat, stirring well, till a nice aroma comes, Remove cool and powder fine. Keep aside.
To make the rasam
In a pressure cooker, heat 2-3 cups of water, over medium heat.
Roughly chop the beetroot, add to the water, cover and cook for 3-4 whistles.
Take off heat and open pressure cooker after 10 minutes.
Using a hand blender or in a blender/mixer, mash or grind the beetroot to a fine paste.
Do not throw away the excess water from the pressure cooker -- it can be used later for making the rasam.
Crush the garlic and the green chilies using a mortar and pestle. Keep aside.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.
Add the mustard seeds.When the seeds splutter, add the torn red chili and the curry leaves.
Add the crushed garlic-green chilly mixture, beetroot puree, turmeric, the freshly-ground rasam powder, salt.
Give it a stir and add 1½ cups water along with the leftover water from the pressure cooker.
When the rasam comes to a boil, add the strained tamarind water.
Check the consistency and add more water if required.
When begins to boil, remove from heat. Add the chopped coriander leaves.
Serve with steamed rice and sabji, or as a soup.