Beetroot Side Dish/ Beetroot Upkari

Beetroot is a very delicious vegetable. I like to eat it raw. I often prepare this as a simple sabji or with dal. I love to have this either with "dalitoy" (konkani dal) or with curd rice. A simple and tasty upkari and morever I just love the color of this vegetable.


Ingredients:
1 beetroot, slit
1/4 mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
3 red chillies
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup water
3 tablespoon grated coconut (fresh or frozen)
Salt

Method:
Wash, peel and cut beetroot into thin slits.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, chillies and curry leaves.
When mustard seeds starts spluttering add beetroot and fry for 2-3 mins.
Add water and simmer it until beetroot is completely cooked.
Add salt and grated coconut.
Serve hot with rice.

Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 25 mins

Deep Fried Cauliflower/ Gobi Pakoda

A very simple gobi pakoda which goes well with rice for dinner/lunch or even as evening snacks with tea.


Ingredients:
8-10 cauliflower pieces
3 tablespoon besan
2 tablespoon corn flour/corn strach
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1/2 cup water
Oil for deep frying
Salt

Method:
Soak cut cauliflower in hot water for 3 mins.
Make a thick mixture of besan, corn flour/starch, chilli powder, salt and water.
Heat oil in a pan.
Dip cut cauliflower and deep fry it on simmer for 5-8 mins.
Serve hot.

Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 45 mins (inclusive of soaking time)

Green Leaves with yellow pigeon peas/ Bhajje Ambat

It is a known fact that Green Leafy vegetables are very nutritious. We have made a point of eating it atleast once a week. Let it be anything like dill, spinach or chickpea leaves goes well with toor dal. We call this as "bhajje ambat" in konkani. "Bhajji" means green leaves and "ambat" is curry. As everyone knows konkani dishes are mainly of coconut, this is also one among those.


Ingredients:
1 bunch green leaves (spinach, dill or any other of your choice)
1 cup toor dal
1/2 cup grated coconut (frozen or fresh)
3 red chillies
1/4 tea spoon tamarind extract
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1/2 tea spoon mustard seeds
4-5 curry leaves
3 tablespoon cooking oil
Salt

Method:
Clean and cut green leaves.
Pressure cook toor dal and green leaves upto three whistles.
Grind red chilly, grated coconut and tamarind extract to a smooth paste.
In a pan, put cooked dal, green leaves and coconut paste, bring it to boil.
In a separate skillet, heat oil and add mustard seeds, curry leaves and chopped onion. Fry this until onion becomes translucent.
Pour this mixture into daal.
Serve hot with rice.

Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 40 mins

Note: Add 1/2 cup water while boling if you feel the dal is too thick.