Beetroot Pulao- Lunch Box Recipe

            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.