Yum! Yum! Yum!

This Beetroot Chutney is little variant than regular Chutneys ( Roti Pachadi). We will be using Red Chilies and Coriander that makes this chutney little spicy. This tastes so good when served with White Rice. You don't notice the Beets taste at all, as Coconut overrides some of it and all lentils and spices makes this chutney crunchy and tasty! I just loved the taste of this chutney that I ate half of it as it is with excuse of taste testing it :-) . Here is the recipe, Njoy!




Ingredients:
Recipe Source: Vah Reh Vah

Beetroot - 1 cup ( chopped) ( 1 medium will yield this)
Coconut - 1/2 cup ( chopped) ( 1/4 of medium coconut shell)
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Tamarind - 1 Tbsp
Garlic - 3 cloves
Curry Leaves - 5
Salt  - 1 tsp ( or according to taste)
Oil - 1 Tbsp


Spices to Grind:
Dry Red Chili - 2
Chana Dal - 1 Tbsp
Coriander Seeds - 1 tsp
Fenugreek (Methi) Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Tempering:
Oil - 1 tsp
Urad Dal - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp

Method:

1. First dry roast all the ingredients under Spices to Grind Section. Let them cool off and grind in the small mixie jar into fine powder; transfer the powder to wide plate and keep it aside. 
2. Take a medium non-stick pan and heat 1 Tbsp Oil. Add Cumin Seeds, Chopped Beetroot saute for 2 min. Now add Tamarind and Garlic Cloves to the pan. Saute them for 2 more minutes. Add chopped coconut pieces and curry leaves, saute for 1 more minute. Beets should be tender by this time. Let this mixture cool off. Grind this in small mixie jar along with salt until it becomes like paste consistency. 
3. Add the spice powder to this paste and grind again until well combined. Transfer this to Serving Bowl. 
4. Take a small non-stick pan, add 1 tsp oil. Once the oil is hot, add urad dal, mustard seeds and turmeric powder and make the tempering. Add this tempering to serving bowl, now Crunchy, Spicy and Yummy Beetroot Coconut Chutney is ready, serve with hot white rice and njoy!

Notes:

• This is good to make it fresh and use it immediately. This doesn't last more than 2 days.
• Noticed the third day it became very dry though it is kept in the refrigerator. May be the coconut makes it hard. 
• I have tried this as spread in Roti / Chapati also. It tastes wonderful with that combo. 
• Spreading on sandwich is another idea, it makes the sandwich colorful. 

When I tried Beetroot Halwa at a Restaurant (Paradise in Plano in DFW Area), I have a longing to make this wonderful, colorful and delicious Dessert. Usually It's rare that anyone jumps up for Beetroot, when i saw Beetroot Halwa name at the Buffet section I thought I should try this. Normally I skip any desserts, and mostly you see Carrot Halwa at Buffet in Parties or in restaurants. So two unusual things happen that day, One, Beetroot Halwa at the Buffet Section and Second, Me trying Dessert, that resulted in the making of Beetroot Halwa in my kitchen. The taste is amazing and once you taste you will addict to this. Isn't it wonderful way to eat up all the Beetroot! So next time, lock up your carrots in closet and try this colorful Beetroot Halwa. Here is the recipe, Njoy!



Ingredients:
Grated Beetroot - 1 cup ( 1 medium Beetroot will yield )
Milk - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Ghee - 1/4 cup  (or 1/2 butter stick)
Cardamom - 3 pods
Cashew Nuts - 10
Pistachio and Almonds - 1 Tbsp chopped ( Optional)

*yields - 2 to 3 servings



Preparatory Steps:

• Trim the edges of the Beetroot, Peel and wash. Grate the beetroot in medium grate setting.
• Heat 1 tsp Ghee in non-stick pan and fry all the Nuts until they turn golden color.
• Grind the Cardamom Pods in Mortar and remove the cardamom peels
• Heat the Milk in microwave for 3 min.

1. Heat non-stick pan and add 1 Tbsp Ghee. Add grated beetroot to it and stir fry on medium heat until the raw smell of the beetroot goes away. ( it will take some time at least 7 to 10 min, Be Patient, this is critical step).
2. Add boiled milk to the Beetroot. At this point you will get very light pink, don't get Panic, it will come back to it's dark color once the milk evaporates.
3. Mix Beetroot with milk and keep on stirring to avoid any sticking to the bottom of the pan. After 5 min, you will notice milk evaporates and leaving the cream infused into Beetroot.
4. Add Sugar to the pan, you will see the caramelization starts and then add cardamom powder to the pan.
5. Mix everything well and keep on stirring until it starts separates. Add remaining Ghee to the pan, you will notice that will make it to Halwa consistency. Now add Fried Nuts to the pan and switch off the stove, but leave the pan on the stove until it cools down.

Once it is cool down, serve into serving bowls, add additional nuts for garnish and serve warm. It leaves the small bliss in you mouth for every bite you will have! I am not exaggerating, make it for yourself and try it to believe me. :-)

Tips:

• Frying the Beetroot until the raw smell goes away is very critical and key step for the great flavor at the end. 
• If you try Large grating setting, you will get nice flakes of Beetroot in the Halwa.
• I always like nuts in Halwas, if you are not Nuts about nuts, you can skip it with no issues.
• Some people add some Kova ( or Mawa) in this recipe, but I preferred to keep it little light, Hence I skipped it. 
• If you are first time trying halwa recipes, I suggest try in small quantities. the measures that are given here are good for small yields. 
• If you want large quantities you can double or multiply the measurements accordingly based on crowd at the party or potluck. 

Check out other Wonderful Beetroot Recipes.

OR

Check out other Halwa Recipes.

will be back with another special recipe!
until then take care!
-Mythreyi

Yeah, you heard it right, it is not 'Pink Panther',  they are Pink Pancakes. :-) Today I am portraying this recipe idea by my good friend and cousin Geethika Akka. A while ago she sent me a suggestion to make pancakes with vegetables than fruit, and she picked Carrot and Beetroot to make the pancakes sweet naturally. You can skip the Sugar and Syrup (as I have replaced the syrup with Honey)  in your routine pancakes with this recipe and these vegetables add good fiber and color in your kiddo's breakfast.

Pink Pancakes

My naughty and girly little one finished all of her breakfast saying 'Pinky Pinky Pinky Pancakes' and my son helped me in mixing the batter.

Here is the recipe for you, Enjoy!

Ingredients:
10 Grain Pancake Mix - 1 Cup
Milk - 1 cup
Butter - 1 tbsp
Egg - 1 medium
Grated Carrot  - 1/2 cup
Grated Beetroot - 1/3 cup
Honey - 1/4 cup

How to Make It:
1. Beat Butter, Egg and Milk, then add the Pancake mix to it.
2. Stir in the Grated Carrots and Beets into this mixture and make it like batter
3. Heat the Griddle and Spray some oil on it, and pour 1/4 cup of pancake mixture on to griddle
4. Once the bubbles are formed turn them and wait until the pancakes cooked on both sides.
5. Repeat these steps with the remaining batter and make batch of pancakes.
6. Layer 2 or 3 pancakes on the serving plate and drizzle with Honey.
7. Beets give  nice pink color and carrots give very yummy taste to these pancakes.


Now Enjoy this Yummy Yummy breakfast with your little one.!!!!


I am sending this to
Breakfast - Pancakes event hosted by Kritis's Kitchen initiated by Helen from Fuss Free Flavors
Food Pallet Series - Pink at torviewtoranto
Breakfast Mela at Cooking 4 All Seasons




Take care until next time
-Mythreyi

Today I am featuring a basic recipe to show you how Beetroot gets cooked in Indian's Kitchen. We prefer to boil it slightly and stir fry it along with some garlic, spices and coconut to compliment it's sweetness. We usually eat this curry with rice or roti. When you mix it with rice, it gives a nice pink color to it which excites my daughter always whenever i make this curry. (Oh Did I say Pink!! Pink and daughters will go well together won't they... :-) ). Sometimes I do make exquisite dishes with it like Beetroot Pulao, but most of the times this is a everyday recipe that happens at least once in fort-night in our house. Here is the recipe, Enjoy it!

Beetroot Stir Fry

Ingredients:
Beetroot - 5
Onion - 1 medium
green chili - 2
curry leaves - 8
garlic - 5
salt - 1 tsp
red chili powder - 1 tsp
coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
(Dry) Coconut Powder - 2 Tbsp
Cilantro - 1 Tbsp
Oil - 1 Tbsp

Preparatory Steps:
Trim the edges and peel the Beetroots. Cut into half and boil in 3 cups of water in microwave on high for 5 minutes. let it cool.

Method:

1. Heat the oil in the non-stick pan. Once it is hot add the Indian Tempering.
2. Now add chopped curry leaves and garlic. saute them for 1 min.
3. Add chopped green chili and onion. saute them for 2 min.
4. Once the onions are sauted, add chopped betroot to the pan.
5. Add salt and cook it on slow for 3 to 3min.
6. Now add red chili powder and coriander powder and stir-fry for 2 min.
7. Add the Coconut Powder and mix it very well.
8. taste and adjust all the seasonings accordingly.  top with some cilantro, switch off the stove and tranfer it into serving bowl.

Enjoy with Hot white Rice with a little bit of butter or serve as a companion for roti!

Tips:
If you have fresh coconut available, you can use the fresh grated coconut than Dry coconut powder.



Have a Good Night!
-Mythreyi

Until now, I have experimented Eggs with most of the fancy vegetables like Asparagus, Broccoli, Corn, Mushroom, Spinach, Sweet Potato and realized I have never tried with this Colorful and Instant Energy booster Vegetable Beets. Today with a touch of mint, this exquisite Beets Omelet Sandwich made our Break Fast Colorful. Here is the recipe, Enjoy!

Beets Mint Omelet Sandwich

Ingredients:
Eggs - 2
Beetroot - 1 small
Mint - 1 tbsp
Onion - 2 Tbsp chopped
salt - 1 tsp
black pepper - 1/2 tsp
green chili - 1
Oil - 1 tbsp
Multi Grain Bread Slices - 4
Butter - 1 tbsp

* By the way I mint used in this recipe is fresh from my home herb garden :-)



Preparatory Steps:

• Toast the Bread Slices with butter and keep it ready.
• Boil the beetroot until it becomes medium soft. or Peel and Half the Beetroot and microwave it for 5 min in a medium microwave safe bowl with a cup of water. Take it out from water and let it cool.

Method:

1. Add 1 tsp oil to the non-stick pan and saute the Chopped Onion and Green Chili. Add salt and black pepper. Now add choppeed boiled beetroot to the pan and mix well and saute it. Add mint and mix it well. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
2. Now whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and pour the eggs mixture in the pan to the sauted beetroot. 
3. Now add remaining oil around the pan, letting the egg to cook. 
4. Once the egg cooks, move your spatula around the edges and turn it over to cook on the other side.
5. Sandwich this mint beets Omelet between Bread Slices and cut into half and serve hot for breakfast.

Beetroot Pulao

I always don't understand the concept of making Pink as the color of female gender, right from the child hood which is little overdone in countries like USA and UK. After reading this article it seemed like it is slowly changing though. ( Sorry for the little deviation with the Pink, I just wanted to share that article).

So Coming back to our actual recipe story, to convince my son I have started looking for beetroot recipes but  not the whole dish looks pink. So Today this recipe in Maa Tv's 'Maa Oori Vanta' (translated into  My Town's Cooking show) caught my eye. As I have all the ingredients, I quickly made this after that, it turned out superb and colorful. I loved the marble effects that spread in this rice dish because of the beetroot.


When I mentioned about this rice to mom on our daily dose of chit-chat, she is curious to know how i made it and I asked her to wait for my post, and  "Mom! Here i am revealing ...Hope you will like it!" :-)

As this is tested and tasted in my kitchen, don't hesitate in turning those beetroots into this yummy dish but PINK. Here is the recipe, Enjoy....!!!



Ingredients:
Basmati Rice - 2 cups
Potato - 1 medium
Carrot - 2 medium
Beetroot -1 medium
Spring Onions - 1/3 cup ( chopped)
green chili - 2
Star Anice - 1
Cloves - 3
Cinnamon - 2 sticks
Marati Mogga - 1
Jaji Kaya - 1
Shazeera - 1 tsp
Oil - 1 Tbsp
Butter - 1 Tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Milk - 1 Tbsp
salt - 2 tsp
black pepper - 1/2 tsp
green chili - 2

Method:
First, Wash and Drain the basmati  rice. Heat the the Non stick pan and add the oil and butter. Once the Oil is hot, add the spices in the order Cloves, Cinnamon, Star Anice, Shazeera. Once the spices gives the nice aroma, Add Green chili, followed by vegetables Potato, Carrot. Once the vegetables are tender and the salt and black pepper. Then add the rice and mix it very well.

Add 4 cups of water ( 1: 2 ratio) and close the lid.  Mix the turmeric powder in the milk and set aside. As the rice gets cook halfway through, pour this milk evenly on the rice and close the lid and let it cook for 10 more min. Taste and Adjust seasonings as needed.

Mean while peel and grate the Beetroot. As the rice gets cooked transfer half of the rice into a plate. Then spread half of the grated beetroot and spring onions and cover with that rice (that is taken into plate). then top with remaining grated beetroot and cover with wet kitchen towel and close the lid. Keep the stove in low and let it cook for 10 min.



Now, turn off the stove and reveal the colorful Beetroot Pulavo by removing the kitchen towel in the pan.  Serve into plates and it tastes delicious when it is accompanied by raita (onion mixed in plain yogurt).




I made a less spicy version for my kids, and now my son didn't name it Poison but Colorful.....!!! Now that's a relief for mommy.. :-)

Tips:

• Usually for Pulavo dish, I add peas along with other vegetables. As Beets are already gives the sweet touch here, i omitted peas intentionally.
• Adding beetroot at the end and cooking on slow will keep the Beetroot bright Color (does not fade), otherwise the color will sink into rice the rice will turn into pink. 
• The touch of turmeric is not in the original recipe, it's my creation to get those marble and color effects naturally.  (You can use saffron also, but i never get the bright colors from saffron).

I have linked this recipe at Let's Cook Rice event by Tickling Palates.

Hope you have enjoyed the weekend with your families, wishing you and me for energetic Monday.
-Mythreyi