Beetroot and Tomato Rasam (VG) from Leon Happy Guts

For the rasam powder

2 dried red chillies

2 cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

For the soup

1 tablespoon neutral-flavoured cooking oil (vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed)

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

10–12 curry leaves

6 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped

2 cooked beetroot (not packed in vinegar), diced into 2cm chunks

2 teaspoons tamarind paste

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

1 × recipe quantity of rasam powder (above)

500ml water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large handful of coriander leaves, roughly chopped

To make the rasam powder, toast all the ingredients in a hot, dry frying pan until fragrant, 1–2 minutes. Allow to cool, then grind to a coarse powder with a pestle and mortar (or a spice grinder).

To make the soup, heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium–high heat. Add the garlic, mustard seeds and curry leaves, and fry for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and the mustard seeds start to pop. Add the tomatoes and fry for 4–5 minutes until they start to soften, then add the beetroot chunks and fry for a further 3 minutes.

Next, add the tamarind paste, breaking it up and mixing it in with a wooden spoon. Cook for a further minute or so. Add the salt, rasam powder and measured water, mix well, then bring to the boil. Cook for 5 minutes.

If you like the soup more broth-like, leave as it is. We like it a bit thicker, so use a stick blender to give the mixture a very quick blitz, leaving it chunky.

Taste for seasoning and add salt, if necessary.

Stir through the butter until melted, then add the coriander leaves. Divide between bowls and eat immediately.