’tis the season for festivals. First came Vishu, the new year celebrated by people from the south Indian state of Kerala (and parts of Karnataka and Goa). Then came Navratri – the festival of 9 nights of celebrations. We recently lit a ton of diyas (earthen lamps) to welcome the festival of lights, aka Diwali or Deepavali.
’tis is also the season for root veggies! In fact, anytime is the season for root vegetables. But that aside, Vishu falls around the time when the weather is undergoing a change in my part of the world. We are transitioning from the searing heat of a scorching, never-ending summer, to more pleasant season. This is the time when the body craves for something spicy and warm. Of course, this is also the season for root vegetables, since cooler weather is when they take root (pun intended!). Meaning, home gardeners and farmers sow beets in the Fall season!
Vishu Sadya with Beetroot Pachadi
Beetroot Pachadi (Raita)
This year, my friend invited me for her Vishu sadya (a wide variety of traditional Malayali foods served in a certain order on a banana leaf). My contribution to her deliciously wonderful spread was this pachadi. As with most dishes originating in Kerala and Karnataka, this dish also uses freshly grated coconut. In a bind, one can use frozen grated coconut as well, but the creamy texture of fresh coconut will certainly elevate this recipe to a much more sublime level.
There are some wonderful spices and herbs in this dish. They are the ones that make the masala (aka gravy) for this side dish. It is a wonderfully beautiful symbiotic relationship. I’ll make special mention of the mix of fresh ginger, mustard and cumin seeds. The yogurt in this dish helps temper the spice level down by several notches.
Beetroot Pachadi (Raita) – Kerala Style
Beets contain a very powerful antioxidant called betalain (this is what gives it the rich ruby red color), which is known for its anti-inflammatory and detoxifying properties. Rich with healthy fats from yogurt and fresh coconut, and brimming with fiber, folate and essential minerals, this dish clearly is a winner!
Root Vegetable Recipes
Yams, beets, parsnips, turnips, rutabagas, carrots, yuca, kohlrabi, onions, garlic, celery root (or celeriac), horseradish, daikon, turmeric, jicama, Jerusalem artichokes, radishes, and ginger are all considered roots. Because root vegetables grow underground, they absorb a great amount of nutrients from the soil. How many root veggies you’ve tried and liked? If you love root veggies, I welcome you to give our recipes a whirl.
- Beet (Roots & Greens) Palya (Curry)
- White Wine Infused Carrot-Ginger Soup
- Delicious Radish Sambar
- Spicy Raw Carrot Pickle (Gajar ka Achar)
- Creamy Instant Pot Carrot (Gajar) Halwa
- Delicious Carrot-Cucumber Kosumbari Salad
- Cabbage & Carrot Masala
- Delicious Sauteed Kohlrabi (Knol Khol)
- Tangy-ly Spicy-Sweet Jicama Salad
- Kale Pear Turnip Goat Cheese Salad
- Romaine Ginger Smoothie
- Daikon Radish (Mooli) Raita
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Beetroot Pachadi (Raita) - Kerala Style
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Beets - Grated
- 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper - Freshly ground
- 1 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt - Or to taste
- 1 Cup Yogurt
Masala:
- 1 Green Chili Pepper - Sliced. More if you enjoy spicy
- 1 Inch Ginger - Sliced
- 1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1/4 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 2 Tablespoon Grated Coconut
Tempering:
- 1 Teaspoon Coconut Oil
- 1/4 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
- 2 Dry Red Chili - Optional
- 1/2 Teaspoon Urad Dal
- 1/2 Teaspoon Chana Dal
Instructions
- Wash beetroot to make sure there is no soil residue. These are root vegetables, after all. Cut the top and bottom off. Grate beets (no need to peel if they are organic). Heat a pan, add beets, salt, turmeric powder and freshly ground black pepper. Sauté on medium flame stirring once in a while until the beets are gently cooked. Feel free to add a tad bit of water if the beets are tending to stick to the bottom of the pan.
- In the meantime, prepare the masala. Add green chili, ginger slices, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and grated coconut to a blender.
- Add a little water and pulse the mix. Keep adding a little bit of water at a time, until the mix is ground fine. Don't make the paste too runny.
- Add this ground masala to the cooked beets. Stir on a low flame for a couple of minutes until the spices blend in nicely.
- Turn off the heat and add yogurt. Test for salt. Add more yogurt (or water) depending on how you like the consistency of your raita.
- Tempering: Heat coconut oil in a small pan. Splutter mustard seeds. Add dry red chili, curry leaves, urad dal and chana dal. Stir until the dals turn light brown.
- Add this tempering to the beetroot pachadi and serve!
