Flavorful and Slightly Spicy Beetroot Rice
This Beetroot Rice is a healthy and tasty meal with the goodness of beetroot. It makes a perfect vegan dish for lunch or dinner with a salad or you can also serve it with non-vegan side dishes.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
For Beetroot Curry
- 2 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 2 to 3 green cardamoms
- 1- inch cinnamon
- 2 to 3 cloves
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 medium-sized onion chopped
- 7 to 8 curry leaves
- 2- inch piece of pandan leaves
- 1 tbsp ginger minced or paste
- 1 tbsp garlic minced or paste
- 1 to 2 green chilies chopped
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 Sri Lankan basic curry powder see the notes
- salt and pepper to taste
- 300 g beetroot finely chopped
- 2 small tomatoes chopped
- 200 ml thin coconut milk
- 1 tbsp lemon/lime juice
For Rice
- 2 cups basmati rice see the notes
- water as required – for soaking rice
- 2 to 3 green cardamoms
- 1- inch cinnamon
- 2 to 3 cloves
- 7 to 8 curry leaves
- 2- inch piece of pandan leaves
- 1 tbsp ginger minced or paste
- 1 tbsp garlic minced or paste
- 1/4 medium-sized onion sliced
- 3 cups water or broth see the notes
Instructions
Prepping rice
- Rinse rice under running water a couple of times. Then soak the rice in enough water for a minimum of 30 minutes. Rice should be fully covered in water while soaking.
Making beetroot curry
- Peel the skin. Chop the beetroot finely. You can also grate beetroots.
- Prepare the fresh ingredients; ginger, garlic, curry leaves, pandan leaf, onion, green chilies and tomato
- Prepare the spices; mustard seeds, cinnamon, fenugreek, turmeric, chili powder, Sri Lankan basic curry powder, pepper, and salt
- Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add mustard seeds. The oil should be hot enough so that the mustard seeds crackle as soon as you add them to the oil.
- Add ginger, garlic, green chilies, pandan, and curry leaves. Saute until fragrant and the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away. Then add onion and saute until soft and translucent.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and coriander powder. Stir well until all the ingredients are well combined. Do it quickly, so that the spices do not get burnt.
- Now add finely chopped beetroot. Stir and sauté for a minute.
- Add the tomatoes and pour in the coconut milk. Mix well. Bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the flame to low and simmer for about 5 minutes, covering with a lid, until beetroots become slightly soft. Make sure to stir in between.
- When the gravy has reduced to your preferred level, turn off the heat and squeeze 1/2 of a wedge of lime or lemon. Let the curry sit for a while as it helps the beets absorb the flavors and thicken the gravy.
Cook the rice
- After 30 minutes, drain the water from the rice. Set the rice aside while you prepare the beetroot curry.
- Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, pandan, and curry leaves. Saute until fragrant and the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
- Then add onion and saute until soft and translucent. Add the spices and salt. Add the rice and saute it for 2-3 mins.
- Depending on the type of rice, you can add water. For basmati rice, I added 3 cups of water for 2 cup of rice. Stir everything to mix, and bring to a boil. Cove the pot, and cook it on medium low heat until the rice is fully cooked and all the water is evaporated.
Make Beetroot Rice
- Once the rice is cooked, open the lid. Add the cooked beetroot and gently mix with the rice.
- Turn the heat off. Let it sit in the residual heat for about 10 minutes until all the water is evaporated.
- Serve with vegetarian or non-vegetarian side dishes.
Notes
- I used Japanese cups (1 cup = 200 ml) and I used 1 1/2 of rice and 1 cup of basmati rice to 1 1/2 cups water to cook the rice.
- I used Sri Lankan basic curry powder, however, you can skip it or use a curry powder of your choice.