Indian Style Beetroot Soup

One of my favourite soup recipe. I love the deep red color of the beetroot as well as its earthy sweet flavor which works so well with all the Indian spices used in this recipe. Having a bowl of beet soup with toasted French baguette infused in garlic butter is a divine eating experience. At home, my mother used to prepare this soup quite frequently and it is best eaten with piping hot rice and spicy fried fish.

Beetroot Soup

Ingredients:

Small red onions : 7

Large ripe tomatoes : 3

Grated beetroot : 1/2 cup

Small green chillies : 1 or 2

Crushed garlic cloves : 3

Cooked yellow moong dal : 1/4 cup

Curry leaves : a sprig

Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp

Water : 3 1/2 cups or more

Oil : 1 tbsp

Salt : as needed 

To Temper :

Cinnamon stick : 1 (3 inches long)

Cloves : 6

Star anise : 1

Fennel seeds : 1 tsp

Whole black peppercorns : 1/2 tsp

Method :

1. I pressure cooked the yellow moong lentils with 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder and 3 cloves of crushed  garlic with enough water for 3 whistles. After that, I mashed the dal along with well cooked garlic. Excess water and mashed dal left in the pressure used in this recipe.

2. In a pan, add a tbsp of oil. After the oil is slightly hot, temper all the ingredients under "To Temper" section. The color of fennel seeds should change to light brown.

3. Then, fry sliced onions till translucent and immediately continue the frying process with slitted green chillies, grated beetroot and finely chopped tomatoes and salt.

4. After the tomatoes turn mushy and well cooked, now mix cooked yellow moong lentils which has been mashed well and 3 1//2 cups of water or more.

5. Let it simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Switch off the flame and garnish with finely chopped curry leaves.

-Abby