Beetroot Muffins

 Sweet root vegetables baked into comforting muffins give flavour, colour and texture to make a different after tea, coffee break or packed lunch treat. Muffins don’t have to always be packed with chocolate chips, as savoury muffins work just as well. You may have heard of carrot muffins but beetroot is another great addition to give these muffins a real twist.

Ingredients

• 300g Self-raising Flour
• 1tsp baking powder
• 150g caster sugar
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• ½tspn ground ginger
• 200ml milk
• 2 eggs
• 100ml sunflower or vegetable oil
• 50g finely chopped beetroot
  

  Method

  1. Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
  2. Line a muffin tray with 12 cases.
  3. In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, caster sugar, cinnamon and ginger.
  4. In a separate bowl mix the milk, eggs, oil and chopped beetroot and until well combined.
  5. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just combined.
  6. Divide the mixture between the 12 cases.
  7. Bake for 20 mins or until well risen and firm to the touch.
  8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 mins before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully.

Beetroot Karakuzhambu

Beetroot is a rich source of potent antioxidants and nutrients, including magnesium, sodium, potassium and vitamin C, and betaine, which is important for cardiovascular health. It is good to include it in our diet once in a week. It is a very simple stir fry which goes well with rice.

 Ingredients:

• Beetroot (chopped)
• 7 nos – Sambar onion (chopped finely)
• 1 no – Tomato (chopped finely)
• 2 clove – Garlic (chopped)
• 1 no – Green chilly (slit open)
• 1/4 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1 1/2 tsp -  Red chilli powder
• 2 tsp – Coriander powder
• 1 no – Tamarind (blueberry size)
• Salt as needed
• Water as needed

For grinding:

• 2 tbsp – Coconut grated
• 1 tsp – Fennel seeds (sombu)

Seasonings:

• 1 1/2 tbsp – Oil
• 1/4 tsp – Mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp – Split black gram
• 4 or 5 nos – Curry leaves

Preparation method:

1. Heat a tsp oil in a pan, add chopped beetroot and fry for few minutes, set aside.
2. Grind items given for grinding to a smooth paste. Set aside. Soak tamarind in warm water for few mins and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a pan, season with items given for seasoning. Add onion, garlic and green chilly along with required salt and saute until golden brown.
4. Add tomatoes saute till it is massy. Then add all powder masala and saute until raw smell goes. Now add sauteed beetroot and mix well.
5. Add tamarind juice and water (desired consistency) allow them to cook for 5 to 7 mins. Finally add ground paste and mix everything well. Allow the gravy to cook for another 5 minutes. Serve hot with white rice and appalam/papad.

Beetroot Poriyal(Fry)

I was not very fond of Beetroot for a long time. But after getting married, my mother-in-law made this easy and yummy Beetroot stirfry and after that I got hooked on to it. It’s very easy to make and healthy too. It goes well with white rice and chapathi. Just mix it with white rice, voila! you have Beetroot rice ready for lunch with some crisp papad or potato curry.
Ingredients:

• Beetroot : 2 cups (grated)
• Onion : 1 (finely chopped)
• Oil : 2 tbsp
• Green chilies : 4-5 (according to your spice level)
• Mustard seeds : 2 tsp
• Urad dal : 2 tsp
• Curry leaves : 4-5
• Shredded coconut : 1/4 cup

Method of Preparation:

1. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and urad dal after it sputters add onion.
2. Fry them till it becomes translucent and add green chilies  and curry leaves.
3. Fry them all together for 3-4 minutes and finally add beetroot.
4. Add a 1/4 cup of water and close the lid.
5. Cook till beetroot becomes soft and fully cooked.
6. Finally add coconut and mix it all together.
7. Garnish it with coriander leaves.
8. Serve hot with chapathi or rice.

Beetroot Corn Pilaf

Beetroot Corn Pilaf is a easy and perfect lunch box recipe. Kids generally love to eat beet root. I usually make Beetroot poriyal. For a change just tried beetroot pilaf. I added some frozen corn too. We had this for a week day lunch. I just went out and after we came home i made this easy and simple pilaf. It was a super hit at my house and my LO loved it. I too clicked the pictures on that day. Do try this for the lunch box and i am sure kids and even adults will love this beetroot pilaf a lot.

Ingredients

  Preparation Time : 10 mins | Cooking Time :20 mins |   Serves : 2-3


     Basmati rice   1 cup
     Beetroot    1/2 cup (chopped or Grated)
     Sweet  corn   1/4 cup
     Mint leaves    1/4 cup
     Coriander leaves  few
     Tomato     1 small
     Garlic     3 pods
     Turmeric powder  1/4 tsp 
      Red chilli powder   1/2 tsp
      Salt     as needed  
      Oil     2 tblsp     

Method:

• Wash the rice  and soak in 1 and 1/2 cup of water for 15 mins. Cut the beetroot into small cubes. 
• Chop the onions and tomato roughly. Peel the skin of the garlic.
• In a pan add little oil and add in the cubed onions and tomatoes and garlic.
• Saute till the become nice golden brown. Add the mint leaves and coriander leaves to this and cook for a minute.
• Switch off the flame. Allow it to cool.

• Grind this into a smooth paste. Since it has tomatoes no need to add water.
• In a pressure cooker, add oil and add in the ground paste.
• Saute well for few minutes in a low flame. Add red chilli powder and turmeric powder.

• Add the beetroot and corn saute well. Add salt to this.
• Add the rice  which we soaked. Do not discard the water. Saute this in a low flame for 5 minutes.

• Add 1 and 1/2 water to this and cover the lid of the cooker. Let 1 whistle come. Simmer the flame and let be in low flame for 10 minutes.
• Fluff the rice once the pressure is released.