South Indian poriyal | Beetroot radish Curry

Curries in India are of two varieties. One gravy based,or ras wali , usually eaten with rice. The other dry sabji, which can be eaten with roti/paratha/any flatbread. This curry is an easy dry sabji. Pair it with some flatbread and you get an easy Iron-rich menu. Traditionally, South Indian style curry, beetroot vepudu/beetroot poriyal/beetroot masala is an easy curry. Mullangi poriyal/mooli ki sabzi or radish fry is also made in a similar fashion. It has a standard lentil tempering along with curry leaves. We have mixed both these stir fry curries together. Give beetroot radish curry a try, you will love it. It is steamed hence has very little oil.

Beetroot recipes are pretty popular. You can have beetroot rice or a biryani. We have all been in love with our railway cutlets growing up. Some people like to have beetroots raw, they love to have it as a grated beetroot salad or beet root juice recipe.However, many of us cannot tolerate it due to food allergies.They can have some as steamed beet and radish slices curry. It has a beautiful hue of pink which makes it very appealing visually. The nutrient profile is also great. I also like to add it to pav bhaji and gajar halwa coz I cannot find red carrots in Australia and i do not like to add food colors to make an orange halwa look red.

This curry cooks fast and tastes fabulous. Both beets and radishes have a similar nutrient profile. They can be steamed together too as they cook in a similar fashion. You can eat this curry with basmati rice or a nachni chapathi or grate it before u cook & stuff it to make a paratha. Other such recipes are beans poriyal, carrot beans poriyal.

Health benefits of beetroots:

• Beets are a great source of Iron, folates and fiber.
• Helps lower blood pressure.
• Improves stamina.
• Good source of potassium.
• Slows progress of dementia.

Nutrients of Radish

• Great for Vitamin E,A,K,B6 C and B2.
• Improves immunity.
• Has high anti-oxidants.
• Great for skin and keeps body hydrated.

Equipment

• pan
• food processor
• peeler
• steamer / instant pot

Ingredients

• beetroot cubes
• radish cubes

For tempering:

• oil
• black mustard seeds
• urad dal /black gram lentil soaked in water
• few sprigs of curry leaves
• green chilies sliced lengthways
• small piece of fresh ginger finely chopped
• lemon juice optional
• Salt as per taste

Refer to recipe card for details. 

Step-by-step instructions of beetroot radish curry

Steam the chopped beetroot and radish for 15 minutes or until al dente.

Cut the veggies into small cubes.

Heat oil in a large pan,add the mustard seeds,let it crackle.

Add the ginger,green chillies, and curry leaves with urad dal.

Let it cook for few minutes and add the boiled veggies.

Add the salt,cover and cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Drizzle a teaspoon lemon juice at the end optionally.

Serve with plain rice/vegan naan / ragi roti.

End your meal with a delicious creamy payasam or a coconut burfi and sleep well.

Related recipes

Do try some vegetarian light recipes from God's own country:

• airfryer vegan beetroot cutlet| glutenfree beet tikki
• Avial
• Veg korma
• Coconut onion chutney | coconut chutney
• Air fryer banana chips
• beetroot greens curry

Variations

• You can even add beet greens and radish greens to this vegan curry. It will add some vibrant green color to an otherwise red vegan curry.
• You can add spice mix of your choice to this dry beetroot curry. Add simple spices like a ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder or curry powder, garam masala powder, fenugreek seeds, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder as per your choice. Sprinkle water and let it mix well.
• Temper dry red chilies,cumin seeds in coconut oil if you like it really spicy.  
• You can garnish with a tbsp. of sesame seeds and a desiccated coconut for some extra iron and fiber.

Substitutions

• You can use golden beets, red beet to make this beetroot recipe. Daikon radish or turnips for this recipe.
• While this curry is without coconut, Sri Lankan beetroot curry which has an addition of coconut milk. Thus, making it more nutty.

Food safety

• Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
• Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
• Wash hands after touching raw meat
• Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
• Never leave cooking food unattended
• Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
• Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove

Conclusion: vibrant beetroot curry is a great way to up your iron. Add some radishes too, to pack a punch.