I love this recipe for beetroot raita. The shock of pink on the side of your plate is simply a thing of beauty.
This raita is sweet, earthy and tangy. Beetroot is the perfect companion for the thick, creamy Greek yoghurt. What works is the sweetness of the beetroot, against the nuttiness and crunchiness of the freshly ground cumin, and the tang of the freshly squeezed lime.
No doubt if you have been in any Indian restaurant you will have had cucumber raita. The yoghurt and cucumber served on the side to cool down a fiery curry.
Beetroot raita – more than just a condiment
This yoghurt dip is easy and takes minutes to make. You don’t have to serve it with curry.
Beetroot raita works perfectly as a dip, a relish, alongside a salad or part of a mezze platter. I will be making this dip this summer for barbecues and picnics.
I love making this raita to eat with fish cutlets. The fusion of
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. The Flavour Thesaurus, by Niki Segnit (my head is often stuck in this book in the name of research), pairs beetroot with oily fish. This combination is popular in Scandinavian and Baltic countries where beetroot is often matched with herring. Sweden and Estonia have a fish and beetroot salad mixed with onion and potato, dressed with a vinegarette or a mustard mayonnaise.
If you love beetroots, then check out my recipes for beetroot hummus and beetroot curry. Beetroot works well with lamb too.
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Beetroot raita, a condiment in pink
Description
This yoghurt dip is easy and takes minutes to make. You don’t have to serve it with curry.
Beetroot raita works perfectly as a dip, a relish, alongside a salad or part of a mezze platter. I will be making this dip this summer for barbecues and picnics.
Ingredients
- 3 fresh small beetroots, peeled and quartered
- 1 tbs vegetable oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 250 ml Greek yoghurt (full fat is best!)
- A generous helping of freshly chopped coriander
- Juice of one freshly squeezed lime
- Salt, enough to lift the flavour
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees Celcius.
- Place the chopped beetroot into a bowl, add the oil and salt, and using your hands coat the beetroot with salt and oil before scattering onto a baking tray.
- Place the baking tray in the oven, and allow the beetroot to roast for around 30 minutes. The beetroot is done when you can glide a skewer easily through the flesh.
- Take the beetroot out of the oven, and set aside.
- Dry roast the cumin in a solid based frying pan. When the seeds darken and release their fragrance, tip half into a pestle and mortar and grind into a powder. Keep the remaining whole roasted spice for later.
- Spoon the yoghurt into a mixing bowl. With a fork whip until it becomes light and creamy.
- When the beetroot has cooled, chop it into small cubes, and drop into the yoghurt, along with the ground cumin and half of the coriander. With a spoon gently stir.
- Add the lime juice, and salt and give a final stir.
- Garnish with the remaining coriander and whole, roasted cumin seeds.
- Now get dipping!
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