Indian Beets
If you're like me, Urban Organics sends you beets every week. What to do with them? This comes from Madhur Jaffrey's Indian Cooking, and it's both delicious and easy.
1 pound (3) fresh beets
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 bay leaf (I skipped it)
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional toppings:
chutney (I used Lebanese rose jam)
Spanish onion, raw and chopped
roasted cashews
raita (plain yogurt mixed with cumin seeds. Mine was soy.)
currants or raisins
hot lime pickle
1. Peel the raw beets and cut them into 3/4 inch cubes. Measure out the spices.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a saucepan or skillet until it sizzles. Put in the cumin seeds and bay leaf and stir for a few seconds until the seeds start to darken.
3. Add the tomatoes and the water, the cubed beets and all the spices and bring back to the boil. I also threw in a chopped potato and apple. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beets are tender. (Jaffrey suggests 30 to 40 minutes, but the time will vary depending on your beets, the size you cut them, and the exact heat setting you choose.) Serve over rice, with toppings of your choosing.
1 pound (3) fresh beets
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 bay leaf (I skipped it)
1 cup chopped canned tomatoes
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
Optional toppings:
chutney (I used Lebanese rose jam)
Spanish onion, raw and chopped
roasted cashews
raita (plain yogurt mixed with cumin seeds. Mine was soy.)
currants or raisins
hot lime pickle
1. Peel the raw beets and cut them into 3/4 inch cubes. Measure out the spices.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a saucepan or skillet until it sizzles. Put in the cumin seeds and bay leaf and stir for a few seconds until the seeds start to darken.
3. Add the tomatoes and the water, the cubed beets and all the spices and bring back to the boil. I also threw in a chopped potato and apple. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beets are tender. (Jaffrey suggests 30 to 40 minutes, but the time will vary depending on your beets, the size you cut them, and the exact heat setting you choose.) Serve over rice, with toppings of your choosing.