• Soak 1 tablespoon tamarind in water and extract juice out of it. Keep it aside.
• Peel and cut into cubes beetroot.
• Peel and cut beetroot into cubes.
• Soak tamarind and toor dal separately.
• Pressure cook toor dal for 3 whistles.
• Pressure cook beetroot also for 4 whistles.
• Once done, mash the dal and drain excess water from beetroot pieces. Keep aside.
• Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and red chilli pieces.
• When they start splutter add beetroot pieces, tamarind juice and some water.
• Add salt and turmeric powder. Mix well.
• Allow it to boil for 5 minutes.
• Add the above made kootu masala and allow it to boil.
• Add cooked dal and let it boil it for 15 more minutes or till the aroma comes up.
• Lastly add a pinch of asafoetida and let the kootu absorb the flavor.
• Serve beetroot kootu with hot piping rice and ghee.

Kootu Masala Preparation:

• Heat oil in a pan, add coriander seeds, chana dal and urad dal.
• Fry them in low flame till the dals started changing color.
• Add red chillis and fry them till they bulge.
• Before switching off the flame add dry coconut and saute it well.
• Keep them aside to cool.
• Once cooled completely add all the ingredients into a blender jar.
• Blend them to make smooth paste by adding water little by little.