Beetroot Raita | Beetroot Perugu Pachadi | Beetroot Thayir Pachadi
Beetroot Raita is a super simple dish that needs you to mix grated beetroot with whisked yogurt, roasted cumin powder and salt. Honestly, that’s all there is to this delicious iron- and calcium-rich dish.In this recipe, I have cooked the beet a bit, used green chillies, and added a tempering, but that’s just a personal choice.
Equipment
- Peeler
- Grater
- Steel Vessel
- Bowl
- Spoon
- Mortar and Pestle/Small Grinder
- Tempering Ladle
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Beet (Grated)
- 1.5 Cups Cold Yogurt
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 2 Green Chillies (Finely Chopped; Optional)
- Salt to Taste
Tempering (Optional)
- 1/2 tsp Oil
- 1 tsp Udad Dal
- 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 Green Chilli (Finely Chopped)
- Curry Leaves (A Few)
Instructions
Making the Roasted Cumin Powder
- Dry roast 1 tsp cumin till it changes colour.
- Let the cumin cool.
- Crush or grind the roasted cumin to a coarse powder.
Prepping the Beetroot (See Notes)
- To a vessel, add 1/2 cup grated beetroot, 2 finely chopped green chillis (optional), 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 cup water.
- Over medium heat, cook covered for about 5 minutes till the beet softens.
- Let the cooked beetroot cool.
Making the Beetroot Raita
- To a large bowl, add 1.5 cups dahi/yogurt and 1 tsp roasted cumin powder.
- Whisk well till a smooth consistency is achieved.
- Add the cooked beet and mix well.
Tempering (Optional)
- In the tempering ladle, heat 1 tsp oil.
- Add 1 tsp udad dal and stir-fry till light golden brown.
- Now add ½ tsp mustard seeds and 1 finely chopped green chilli, and stir-fry for a few seconds till the mustard seeds crackle.
- Add a few curry leaves and stir-fry for a few seconds.
- Add the tempering to the beetroot raita, and mix well.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve chilled beetroot raita with rotis or vegetable pulao.
Notes
- I grated the beetroot but you can chop it into small pieces as well.
- I cook the beet ever so slightly to soften a bit. However, you can add chopped/grated raw beetroot directly to the whisked yogurt.
- I also use green chillies while cooking the beetroot. When used in moderation, it does to alter the taste of the raita and yet gives it a very mild spiciness.
- While you can use commercial cumin powder, I would recommend using freshly roasted and crushed cumin as the the taste and aroma is divine.
- The tempering I have added is entirely because of my South Indian upbringing. :) I also love the crunch the fried udad dal and crisp curry leaves add to this dish.
Nutrition
Calories: 84 kcalCarbohydrates: 9 gProtein: 4 gFat: 4 gSaturated Fat: 2 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3 gMonounsaturated Fat: 1 gTrans Fat: 0.003 gCholesterol: 12 mgSodium: 460 mgPotassium: 209 mgFiber: 2 gSugar: 7 gVitamin A: 103 IUVitamin C: 5 mgCalcium: 120 mgIron: 1 mg