Vegetable side dishes are perfect additions to any lunch or evening meal. This is one side dish that I usually make at home during weekdays which is not only easy but enjoyable too. When I prepare a meal, I simply stick to my own rule that the meal doesn’t have to be complicated or time consuming to prepare. This is my second recipe out of my plethora of home style recipes. (See the first)

For many of you, this might look familiar, and many of you might have relished it during your childhood days and feeling nostalgic about it. But I am sure there would be many who still make this recipe now days also. In Kerala, it’s called Beetroot pachadi. We had friends home for dinner and when I served them, they mentioned to me how their mother would grate it and sauté it well before mixing with yoghurt. Sharing how they enjoyed the sweetness of the beetroot in the creamy yoghurt. Traditionally, grated coconut is also added to it. There is also another traditional version of adding mustard seeds and coconut paste. But I have a different version to share.

The beetroot should be thoroughly washed and cleaned to cook well. Boil them in a deep pan or try pressure cooking it, doing it my way, until they are soft like a boiled potato. Once cooked the beet skin will peel off easily and you can chop them off into small cubes in a jiffy. This prepared beet is slightly sautéed with onions and chillies infusing the flavour of curry leaves before adding them to the creamy yoghurt.

Beautiful and incredibly healthy, this yummy root vegetable is easy to make, will impress your family and guests alike. A perfect recipe if you are looking for a sneaky way to trick your kids into some veggies this summer showing them the classic pink colour with a mildly sweet flavour. This kids friendly recipe uses only a few ingredients can also be fitted well into the menu for a bachelor too, brightening up the lunch or dinner plates. I usually serve it as a side dish for my chicken pulao or biryanis. You can also serve it as a salad or along rotis, quinoa or with regular rice n curry. This creamy beetroot’s sweetness is a perfect partner for any smoked spicy barbecue.

Ingredients:-

1. Beetroot                                   One medium sized (170 grams approx.)
2. Onion                                       One medium sized (65 grams approx.)
3. Green chillies                          2 or 3 nos
4. Ginger                                      an inch chopped
5. Garlic                                       1 pod chopped
6. Curry leaves                            few (fresh).
7. Oil                                            2 tablespoons.
8. Plain Yoghurt                         500 ml.
9. Salt                                           to taste.

 

Method:-

• Boil the beetroot until cooked through. Cool under running water and peel the skin off.
• Chop it into small cubes and keep aside.
• Take a pan and heat little oil. Add the chopped onions, ginger, garlic and curry leaves. Sauté them well and add in the prepared beetroot.
• Keep stirring to mix well. Stir fry them about 3- 4 minutes on a low flame until the beetroot changes to a dull colour. Season with salt. Cut the flame and allow cooling.
• Once the beetroot is cooled down or slightly warm add in the fresh yoghurt. Mix well and serve immediately.

 

 

Refer Below to Cook seriously……..This is serious stuff……

 

• You can also roast the beetroot instead of boiling them. Scrub the beet to clean and apply a little oil. Wrap them in a foil and bake for 30-35 minutes or until soft enough to pierce with a fork.
• Cut off the ends of the beetroot before cooking.
• Precooking the beetroot as a whole without peeling will help eliminate the mess.
• The beetroot will tend to bleed and give out a bright darker pink colour as it sits longer in the yoghurt before serving.
• Plan and mix the yoghurt to the prepared beetroot just before serving if you want the lighter pink colour to the yoghurt. I like it this way better.
• You can always boil, peel, chop the beetroot and leave them in the fridge in airtight containers. This will still keep them fresh for the next day to prepare the Beetroot Yoghurt Preparation.
• Do not store the oven roasted beetroot for the next day; instead prepare it the same day itself. The roasted refrigerated beets don’t taste nearly as good as the boiled ones. (Looks dried out and weird).

 

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Happy Cooking and be healthy.