Rassam is a tangy peppery broth widely eaten in the South Region of India. It tastes best paired with steamed Rice and Lentil papadum. Most homes have their own secret family recipe of Rassam powder which distinguishes their recipe from the rest. Having lived and travelled extensively in the South of India I have been fortunate to taste the authentic flavours of their cuisine. I find that most dishes are gut friendly, vegan and gluten free, making it an ideal option if you are a healthy eater.
While I love a traditional Rassam made with spices, tamarind and lentil, I wanted a much simpler recipe which can be whipped up in my kitchen in a matter of minutes with minimal ingredients. My love for deriving vibrant colours from ingredients is at its prime in this beautiful recipe. I have used very few ingredients. The recipe for this Beetroot Rassam is clean and simple, yet extremely flavorful. I have used ripe juicy tomatoes to make the Rassam tangy and ensure that the stunning scarlett colour of the Beetroot Rassam stays unchanged. Feel free to add a little Tamarind too if you do not mind the color changing a little. I also do not use any spice mix for this recipe.
As with any good broth, the key to making this Beetroot Rassam is to simmer it gently to extract flavour. Then I add a tempering of gingerly oil, asafotida, curry leaves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and green chillies. Once this is added to the Beetroot Rassam, the broth sings..quite literally. I let it simmer a little longer for all the flavours to marry.
This Beetroot Rassam tastes perfect as is. A cup full of this peppery broth on a cold winter evening is all that you will need to feel warm and cozy. My favourite way to eat this is with a bowl of Rice that I make with loads of herbs and tempering. I also love to make balls of this rice and dunk it in the Rassam (a tip I picked from Ottolenghi). If you are looking for a Rassam recipe that is quick to make, uses minimal ingredients and completely wows your friends and family, this Beetroot Rassam is a must must try.
If you make this recipe in your kitchen, do tag me @supaintsonplates #supaintsonplates on Instagram.
Beetroot Rassam
Ingredients
- 2 Piece Beetroot
- 3-4 Tomatoes
- 1 Cup Coriander stems
- 3 Glass Water
- 5-6 Peppercorns/ pipli pepper
- 1 tbsp Tamarind paste optional
- 7-8 Curry leaves
- ¼ tbsp Asafotida powder
- 1 tbsp Gingelly Oil
- ½ Tsp Mustard seeds
- ½ Tsp Cumin seeds
- Green chillies to taste
- 1 Onion Sliced
- 8-10 Garlic cloves pounded
Instructions
- Roughly chop the beetroot and the tomatoes
- Add oil to a pot, once hot, add asafotida, mustard and cumin seeds
- Once the seeds crackle, add curry leaves and green chillies
- Sautee for a couple minutes on low flame
- -Remove half of this tempering and keep aside
- Add onion and garlic to the pan and sautee for a couple minutes
- Add the tomatoes, beetroot and coriander stems to the remaining tempering in the pot along with the water
- Cover and bring to a boil
- Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the beetroot and tomatoes are cooked through
- Remove from the stove and strain this mix
- Transfer the broth back to the pot, add the remaining tempering and salt to taste
- Simmer gently for 5-6 minutes
- Taste and add tamarind paste if needed
- Transfer to serving bowls and enjoy with rice and papadum
Awesome..
Healthy recipe
Thanks for sharing
Thank you so much.
Su ❤