Lime Ginger Squash(Syrup)

Ingredients:

1- 1.25 cups fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 cup of crushed Ginger
8 cups Sugar
1.5 - 2 cups Water

Recipe:

Cut the lemons, remove the seeds, squeeze and collect the fresh lemon juice in a vessel.

Crush the ginger in a mixer and keep it aside.

Put sugar, water in a vessel, mix them well and bring it to boil.

Add the crushed ginger, bring it to boil and prepare the sugar syrup. (Carefully dip the tip of your index finger into the syrup, touch your finger and thumb together and slowly tease apart. If a thread is formed between your finger and thumb the syrup is done.)

Add the lemon juice and mix well and switch off the flame.

Strain this syrup to get rid of the pulp ingredients as shown in the picture below.

Once it is cooled to room temperature, store it in an airtight container/bottles. This can be preserved for more than 6 months in refrigerator.

To prepare the juice, add lime ginger squash and water in 1:4 ratio and mix well. Put ice cubes (if required) and serve.

Beetroot Rasam

Ingredients:
1 medium sized Beetroot / 1 cup grated Beetroot
Large grape sized Tamarind
Grape sized Jaggary
Pinch of Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1.5 - 2 tsp Rasam powder
1/2 - 3/4 cup cooked Yellow Lentils /Toor dal / Togari bele
2 cloves of Garlic
1 tsp Mustard seeds
2 broken Red Chillies
3-4 Curry leaves
Pinch of Asafetida powder
2 tsp Oil

Recipe:
Put tamarind, little amount of water in a bowl, mash it and keep it aside.
Remove the outer skin of beetroot and grate it as shown in the picture below.

Put this grated beetroot in a cooker container. Add turmeric powder, tamarind water, jaggary, salt, 1 cup of water and cook. (3 whistles)
Once the pressure goes off, put this cooked beetroot in a vessel. Add rasam powder, required amount of water, cooked yellow lentils and bring it to boil.(Add other ingredients like salt, rasam powder, tamarind water if required) Keep the rasam in low flame for about 3-4 mins.

Remove outer cover of garlic and mash it. Put mashed garlic, 2 tsp oil in a pan. Once it turns golden in color, add mustard seeds, broken red chillies and fry. Once it starts spluttering, add curry leaves, asafetida powder, keep it for few seconds and then add it to rasam. Mix well before serving. It goes well with Rice.