Beetroot Pulao is one of my favorite rice which is super nutritious, delicious and beautiful to look rice. Beetroot rice is a one pot meal made with onion, tomatoes and aromatic Indian spices. This is my mom's recipe and I do this flavorful dish for lunch. Good to pack for lunch box. It goes well with raita ( onion or carrot or cucumber) and appalam or rice crackers.
Ingredients
1 Cup of Basmathi Rice
1 Large Beetroot, Diced
1 Large Onion, Finely Chopped
2 Green Chillies, Finely Chopped
2 Medium Size Tomatoes, Puree
1 Tsp of Red Chilly Powder, Heaping
1/2 Tsp of Garam Masala Powder
2 Tbsp of Yogurt/ Thick Curd
2 Garlic Cloves, Crushed
1/2 '' Ginger, Crushed
5-6 Mint Leaves
1 Tbsp of Lemon Juice
1 and 1/2 Cup of Water
Salt to taste
To Temper
3 Tsp of Oil or Ghee
1/2 Tsp of Fennel / Sombhu
1 Medium Size Cinnamon
2 Cloves
1 Cardamom
To Garnish
Few Spirg of Cilantro / Coriander leaves, Chopped
Method
- Soak rice for 30 mins, wash and drain it. Keep this aside.
- Heat oil / ghee in a cooker, add all the ingredients listed under " To Temper " add one by one and fry for a min.
- Add ginger- garlic paste, fry until raw smell vanishes.
- Add chopped onion, green chillies, mint and little salt, fry for 1-2 mins until it turns golden brown color.
- Add chopped tomatoes and fry until oil separates.
- Add chopped beetroot, mix well with the onion and tomatoes and cook for 1-2 mins by adding little water.
- Add sambhar powder and garam masala, saute it for 1-2 mins with onion-tomato- beetroot mixture.
- Add thick curd to it and mix well.
- Add soaked and washed rice, to it and fry well masala.
- Add required water and salt. Cover the cooker with a lid and pressure cook for 2 whistles and switch off the stove.
- Finally add some lemon juice to the rice and mix well.
- Garnish it with chopped cilantro / Coriander leaves.
Tips
- Serve this dish with onion or carrot raita.
- Rice and water ratio is 1 : 1.5 Cups of water or coconut milk.
- You can use fried onion instead of raw onions.
- Adjust spicyness according to your taste.
- Adding ghee gives a nice flavor to the rice.
Health Benefits of Beets
- They are zero in saturated fat and trans fat.
- They are high in carbohydrates.
- Rich in viamin A, C, sodium, magnesium, iron, phosphorous and folic acid.
- Beet has a natural pigment called betacyanin, helps to fight against cancer.
- Blood purifier.
Labels: Kids Corner, Lunch Box Items, South Indian Recipes