This is a purely experimental dish I tried today for lunch. I don't remember where I had tasted this dish earlier, but I did like the fisrt time I had it. I vaguely remember to be at some roadside joint. Nonetheless, it is a huge success at home now and my husband is looking forward to a repeat sooner.
Ingredients:
Serves Four
2 cups Basmati rice soaked in water for about half an hour
2 medium sized beets, grated
1 large onion, chopped lengthwise
1 cup grated coconut
a few sprigs of curry leaves
3-4 ginger chopped into jullienes
7-8 garlic flakes
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
1 tbsp split chick peas (chana dal)
1 tsp mustard seeds
a dash of aesofatida
7-8 green chillies slit into two lengthwise
oil/ ghee (clarified butter)
salt to taste
water
Method:
In a large saucepan, heat about 1 tbsp of oil and let the cumin seeds crackle. Add the onions, giner, garlic, chillies and aesafatida; and saute till the onions trurn transparent. Now drop in the beets and salt to taste and stir fry till the beets become soft yet crunchy. Now drain the rice, add it to the beets and mix well. Pour in about 4 cups of water and close the lid. Let cook until all the water in absorbed.
Meanwhile, in another pan, heat about 1 tsp of oil and let the mustard seeds splutter and add the chickpeas and fry till they turn golden. Now add the curry leaves and toss. Add coconut and mix well. Briefly saute everything together and remove from flame.
Once the rice is cooked, add this tempered coconut to it and mix well. Serve hot with a spicy curry and raita (yoghurt sauce).
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| Beet and Coconut Pilaf with Spicy Potato Stir-Fry and Spring Onion Yoghurt Sauce |
