Curry In Kadai ~ An Indian Cooking Blog

Beets aka Beetroot is the most nutritious of all root vegetables. I dont know if mom used to say 'Beetroot adds new blood to your body' just to make us eat! But the following is true though, beetroot is good for the health of the heart as it contains soluble fiber with can help to reduce high blood cholesterol levels. It also contains the phytochemicals, carotenoids and flavonoids which help prevent LDL ‘ bad’ cholesterol from being oxidised and deposited in the arteries. Cooked beetroot is a great source of folate that can protect you against high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s and dementia. For more information click here.

Its very hard for me to find beetroot here in regular grocery stores and if i have cravings for beets i usually get from whole foods( organic grocery store ). Beets vepudu( fry) is a very simple yet spicy recipe. Concerned about fat or calories? go ahead and make this recipe you will thank for its goodness and taste since its packed full of flavor yet very little oil. Coming to the sweet and spicy beets recipe,

All you need:

• 1 large beets or 2 small beetroots
  
• 1/2 cup green peas
  
• 1/4 cup grated coconut or 3-4 2- inch squares
  
• 5-8 green chillies
  
• 1-2 tbsp oil
  
• a big pinch of turmeric
  
• cilantro for garnish( optional )
  
• Salt to taste
  

For seasoning:

• 1 tbsp chana dal( bengal gram dal )
  
• 1 tbsp urad dal( black gram dal )
  
• 1 tsp jeera( cumin seeds )
  
• 1 tsp( mustard seeds )
  
• 10 Curry leaves
  

How to cook the beets:

• I know how hard it is to peel and cut the raw beets. Not anymore if you follow my steps below.
  
• Clean the beets thoroughly and make small beets into 2 halves( 4 for a bigger one ) with the peel on.
  
• In a pressure pan or cooker cook the beets with water for 3 whistles.
  
• Once the weight comes out without any pressure drain the beets
  
• Let them cool a bit. Now the peel comes off right away with the finger pressure( couldnt be any easier than this )
  
• Chop them into 1 inch squares
  

Preparation:

• Chop the boiled beets into 1/2 inch squares
  
• Heat oil in kadai or pan and add the seasoning - mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal and curry leaves
  
• When mustard seeds start to wiggle around, add the green chillies, chopped beetroot, green peas, turmeric and salt
  
• Saute them until the beetroot starts to lose water and peas cooked
  
• Add the grated coconut and fry for one more min
  
• Adjust salt and chillies to taste. Garnish with coriander
  

When draining the cooked beets save the water for beetroot rasam/soup( i will post that recipe soon). Cooking beets this way uses very less time, gas and effort. Since we are not throwing the water we are not at all losing the nutrition! And the best part cooked beets stay fresh up to 3 days in the fridge and you can saute fresh whenever you want. Freezing cooked beets is a very bad idea and don't try to attempt like me. They become soggy once thawed in the microwave and I am sure once you make this recipe you wouldn't be left with any leftovers!!


The sweetness from the beets , crunch from the split peas( chana dal ), nutty flavor from the coconut, spiciness from green chillies and the aroma of the curry leaves makes the boring beetroots SIMPLY EXQUISITE! Nothing can BEET this recipe! Serve this beetroot curry with hot rice or chapathi. This Sweet and Spicy beets recipe is on its way to weekend herb blogging event hosted by Vanessa from What Geeks Eat.

TIP: Mix some thick whipped yogurt into the cooled beets curry., you have beets raitha in minutes!

Tags: Beetroot curry, Beetroot poriyal, Beetroot vepudu, Beets and Peas Fry, Beets fry, Beets peas and coconut curry

Beetroot is one of my favorite vegetables. When i was a kid i remember i used to eat just the curry without any rice or bread. My mom used to say beetroot will add new blood to our body and thats true. My mom makes beetroot curry with coconut and peas. But this one with besan is from my MIL(mother-in-law). Besan coats the beetroot pieces and it tastes so good. Beetroot just sauteed with some tadka or tempuring itself is simply delicious., but adding besan(chickpea flour) gives it a new flavor.


I know its very hard to peel and chop the beets( in USA are so large ). I used to have hard time peeling and chopping beets. But not anymore, my cousin asked me to cook the beets( cut into 4 parts ) with the skin on in pressure cooker with some water and salt. And once they are cooked, the peel comes off just with the finger pressure right away, and chopping the beets couldnt be any easier.

You need:

• 1 big beetroot or 2 small beetroots
• 8-10 green chillies split lengthwise
• 1/2 cup besan aka chick pea flour
• salt to taste

For tadka or seasoning:

• 1/2 tbsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp chana dal( optional )
• 1 tsp urad dal( optional )
• a pinch of turmeric
• 10 curry leaves
• Salt to taste
  

Boiled and cubed beets, along with besan aka chickpea flour

How to:

• Boil the beets as i told before using pressure pan.
• Chop the boiled beets into bite size pieces
• Heat oil in kadai and add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal
• Once it starts popping add curry leaves, green chillies, turmeric and chopped beets
• Fry them for 5 min stirring occasionally
• Add chick pea flour or besan at this point just sprinkle some water, reduce the heat and cook it covered for 2 more minutes. Cook until the raw smell from the besan disappers.
  
• Adjust salt to taste
  

Serve this beetroot fry ( beetroot besan ) with hot rice, roti or chapathi. And the best part is this curry tastes even better without any rice or bread( atleast for me )!

Tags: Beetroot besan, Beetroot curry, Beetroot vepudu, Beets fry