Beetroot Rasam
Beetroot rasam recipe with step by step pics. Amongst the many varieties of rasam made with veggies, Beetroot rasam is a spicy, tangy and delicious rasam variety. Unlike regular rasam recipe, beetroot rasam has light sweet tones of the beetroot blending beautifully with the sour taste of tamarind and the spiciness coming from the black peppers and dry red chilies. You definitely have to give this one a try.
Rasam Is one of the easiest dish you can make and does not take a lot of time. Usually I make rasam to go as a side dish with rice and accompany a side vegetable dry dish with this combo.
I have shared many rasam varieties and the ones made with vegetables or fruits are listed below:
This beetroot rasam is a healthy and easy recipe to prepare. This rasam gives a lot of warmth and heat to the body during winters and aids in relieving sinus, cough and cold.
I have not made a separate tamarind pulp, but ground the tamarind with steamed beetroot. Dry red chilies are used in the recipe which gives some pungency and heat. I have used byadagi red chilies as its low in heat.
So while making beetroot rasam, use either Kashmiri or byadagi chili or a type of dry red chili which is not hot. If you use medium hot or very hot red chilies, then the rasam will be very spicy.
The health benefits of a rasam are also noteworthy. It is one of those preparations from Indian cuisine which is naturally an immune-booster because of the classic ingredients that are used to make it.
Drinking a piping hot bowl of this Beetroot Rasam too can help soothe your colds and coughs, especially during the winter season. It is great for digestion too.
You can serve beetroot rasam with steamed rice or even have it as a Soup.
How to make Beetroot Rasam
1. Rinse 1 medium-sized or 2 small-sized beetroots in fresh water. Then chop them in small cubes. You will need ½ cup heaped beetroot cubes. Take them in a bowl. Also, add ¼ cup water to the bowl.
2. The beetroot cubes need to be steamed. So you can steam them with rice or dal or alone in a cooker or steamer. I have pressure cooked and steamed beetroot with rice.
For steaming in a pressure cooker, take 1.5 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Place the bowl or pan with the beetroot in the cooker. Keep the bowl below a stand or rack, which is available with a pressure cooker.
3. Pressure cook on a medium heat for 5 to 6 whistles or for about 8 minutes.
4. When the pressure settles down on its own, then only remove the lid and keep the steamed beetroot outside.
Do not discard the water which is there in the bowl. Let it be in the bowl. Let the steamed beetroot cubes become warm or cool at room temperature.
5. Meanwhile take 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon coriander seeds and 1 dry red chilli (broken and seeds removed) in a spice grinder or a grinder jar.
6. Grind to a semi-fine powder. Remove the powder and keep it aside.
7. In the same grinder jar, add the beetroots along with the cooked water which was there in the bowl.
8. Also add 1 tablespoon tamarind. Do make sure that there is no seed in the tamarind. For a less sour taste, you can use ½ tablespoons tamarind.
9. Grind everything to a smooth puree. There should be no fine chunks or pieces of beetroot in the puree.
Making beetroot rasam
10. Heat 1 tablespoon oil. Keep the heat to a low and add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle.
The oil to be preferably used is sesame oil (gingelly oil). Though you can use peanut oil or sunflower oil also.
11. When the mustard seeds crackle, then add 1 dry red chili (halved and seeds removed), 9 to 10 curry leaves (chopped) and 1 generous pinch asafoetida (hing).
12. Stir and fry for a few seconds on low heat till the red chilies change color and the curry leaves become crisp.
13. Now add the ground spice powder.
14. Mix and fry on a low flame for a couple of seconds till the spices get aromatic. Keep the heat to its lowest, so that the spices do not get burnt.
15. Add the beetroot and tamarind puree.
16. Mix well.
17. Now add 2 cups water.
18. Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric).
19. Season with salt as per taste.
20. Mix and simmer on a medium-low to medium heat for 7 to 8 minutes. By this time the rawness of the tamarind will also go away.
21. Basically simmer beetroot rasam till you see some froth on the top. Do not over boil.
22. Lastly switch off the heat and then add 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves.
23. Serve beetroot rasam hot with steamed rice. You can also have it as a soup or starter before South Indian meals.
Few more rasam varieties which are good for cough and cold are:
Step by Step Photo Guide Above
Ingredients
for steaming beetroot
- 2 small beetroot or 1 medium beetroot or 120 grams beetroot or ½ cup heaped small beetroot cubes
- 1.5 cups water to be added in the cooker
- ¼ cup water for steaming, added in beetroot bowl
for grinding spices
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon whole black pepper
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 dry red chilli – broken and seeds removed
other ingredients
- 1 tablespoon tamarind
- 1 tablespoon oil – sesame oil (gingelly oil) or sunflower oil or peanut oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 dry red chili – halved and seeds removed
- 9 to 10 curry leaves – whole or chopped
- 1 generous pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 2 cups water or add as required
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- salt as required
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
Instructions
pressure cooking beetroot
- Rinse, peel and then chop 1 medium or 2 small beetroot in small cubes. You will need ½ cup heaped beetroot cubes. Take them in a bowl. Also add ¼ cup water in the bowl.
- The beetroot cubes need to be steamed. So you can steam them with rice or dal or alone in a cooker or steamer. i have pressure cooked and steamed beetroot with rice.
- For steaming in a pressure cooker, take 1.5 cups water in a pressure cooker. Place the bowl or pan with the beetroot in the cooker.
- Pressure cook on medium flame for 5 to 6 whistles or for about 8 minutes.
- When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid and keep the steamed beetroot outside.
- Do not discard the water which is there in the bowl. Let it be in the bowl. Let the steamed beetroot cubes become warm or cool at room temperature.
grinding spices
- Meanwhile take 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon coriander seeds and 1 dry red chilli in a spice grinder or a grinder jar.
- Grind to a semi fine powder. Remove the powder and keep aside.
making beetroot puree
- In the same grinder jar, add the beetroots along with the cooked water which is there in the bowl.
- Also add 1 tablespoon tamarind. Do make sure that there is no seed in the tamarind.
- Grind everything to a smooth puree. There should be no fine chunks or pieces of beetroot in the puree.
making beetroot rasam
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil. Keep the flame to a low and add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and let them crackle. The oil to be preferably used is sesame oil (gingelly oil). Though you can use peanut or sunflower oil also.
- When the mustard seeds crackle, then add 1 dry red chili (halved and seeds removed), 9 to 10 curry leaves (chopped) and 1 generous pinch asafoetida (hing).
- Stir and fry for a few seconds on low flame till the red chilies change color and the curry leaves become crisp.
- Now add the ground spice powder.
- Mix and fry on a low flame for a couple of seconds till the spices get aromatic. Keep the flame to its lowest, so that the spices do not get burnt.
- Add the beetroot and tamarind puree. mix well.
- Now add 2 cups water. Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder. Season with salt as per taste.
- Mix and simmer the rasam on a medium-low to medium flame for 7 to 8 minutes. By this time the rawness of the tamarind will also go away.
- Simmer till you see some froth on the top. Do not over boil.
- Lastly switch off the flame and then add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve beetroot rasam hot with steamed rice.
- You can also have it as a soup or starter before south indian meals.
Nutrition
This Beetroot Rasam post from the blog archives first published on December 2017 has been updated and republished on January 2023.
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thanks a lot binny. glad to read your comment. happy cooking.
Can we use carrots instead of beetroot?
rams, yes you can, but the taste will be different. use carrots which are tender and not fibrous. if required you can strain the carrot puree.
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