This is another unique rasam from Karnataka cuisine. Jayanthi aunty, who shared her lovely recipe for jack fruit seeds rasam, gave this recipe too:)
It’s simple to make but very delicious. And anyone will fall in love with its beautiful colour. This can be served as a soup too.

I made it for the first time today and it was a super hit with my family. Hope you all would like it too:)

Ingredients

Tuvar dal ( pigeon peas ) – 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder – 1/4th tsp

Chopped beet root – 1/2 cup

Tomatoes – 2

Tamarind – small goose berry sized

Grated jaggery – 1/2 tsp

For the spice powder

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Coriander seeds( dhania) – 5 tsps

Urad dal ( ullundhu) – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds ( jeera) – 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds ( methi/ vendhayam) – 1/2 tsp

Red chillies – 5-6

Grated coconut- 1 tbsp

Oil – 1/2 tsp

For tempering

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Melted ghee – 1 tsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Asafoetida ( hing/ Perungayam) – 2 pinches

Chopped coriander leaves – 2 tbsps

Method

Soak tamarind in a cup of water for 20- 30 mins. Squeeze well and take the extract.

Wash and chop tomatoes.

Wash and soak tuvar dal for half an hour. Drain the water, add fresh water, chopped beetroot ,turmeric powder and half of chopped tomatoes and pressure cook for 4/5 whistles. The dal and the vegetables should be cooked soft.

Cool and grind this to a puree.

Heat 1/2 tsp of oil in a pan and add all the ingredients mentioned for the spice powder. Roast till you get a good aroma. Cool and grind this to a powder.

In a pan, add the tamarind extract, remaining tomatoes, grated jaggery and salt to taste. Let it boil till the tomatoes turn soft and the raw smell of tamarind goes away.

Add the dal puree, spice powder and 2 cups of water and mix well. If it’s very thick, add little more water. This rasam is thicker than the usual rasam consistency. Check for the seasonings.

Let it simmer on a medium flame. Switch off the gas, once it starts simmering.

Heat ghee in a pan. Add mustard. When it starts spluttering, add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Sauté for few seconds and add the tempering to the rasam.

Garnish the rasam with chopped coriander leaves and serve the rasam hit with steamed rice drizzled with little melted ghee. This can be served as a soup also:)