Sunday, March 21, 2010

Beet Raita


I always love eating raita when I go out for Indian food, and am scared of making it at home because I so badly want it to taste good so I don't want to screw up. But then I came across this beet raita and thought it sounded interesting and different, plus I love beets. (Beets are actually one of my favourite foods. I don't post about them often because I love eating them just roasted and plain.) Thus my first adventure with raita began! It's interesting because it's so full of chunky stuff - beets, potatoes and green onions. I'm used to raita being more like a dip/sauce and quite smooth. Anyway it was yummy and I'd make it again to eat with Indian food - it's always nice to have something cooling. If you have a good plain raita recipe, I'd love for you to share it with me!


My fiancé couldn't find Abby one morning, then finally found her hiding on his dresser behind clothes. So cute!


If this sounds good, you might also like:
Sesame Beets
Beet, Barley and Black Bean Soup
Indian Stir Fried Cabbage
Pink Beans with a Cardamom-Yogurt Sauce

Beet Raita
Adapted from The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook

Makes about 3 cups

2 medium beets
1 medium waxy potato, peeled, such as Yukon Gold (I would omit this next time)
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt (I used 2%)
2 green onions, minced
1/2 clove garlic, grated
2 tsp dried dill
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat the oven to 425F.

Wrap the unpeeled beets in foil. Bake the beets until tender, about 50 minutes, depending on size. Unwrap and slip off the peel.

Meanwhile, fill a medium saucepan with enough water to cover the potato. Bring to a boil over high heat, add the potato, cover, and lower the heat to medium. Boil the potato until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain.

In a mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, green onions, garlic, dill, cilantro, lemon juice, beets and potato. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled through, about 1 hour. Serve cold.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

why won't you use the potato next time? Texture?

Chef Aimee said...

This is so refreshing - and what a color! :)

Mini Baker said...

mmmm yum yum yum!

eatme_delicious said...

H: No there was nothing wrong with the texture. I guess personally I don't feel it's necessary and maybe makes the raita more heavy/filling than I'd want it to be? It'd be good either with or without it though.

Hannah said...

What a vibrant shade of purple! I love colorful dishes like this.

kickpleat said...

Yeah, I'd ditch the potato too. Looks good!

Xiaolu @ 6 Bittersweets said...

Oh what a lovely bright color! Sorry I don't have a go-to raita recipe, but I'd look for one by Madhur Jaffrey. She's such an Indian kitchen goddess hehe.

Anonymous said...

Oh I'm such a squirrel too!!! I think of all the ways I might possibly use something so I never throw it out. The only way to get me to ever let go is if it's expired. Even then, if it's one of those "could still work, doesn;t taste rotten" kinda ingredient, I might continue keeping it! :) Your muffins must smell really heavenly!