Beet And Curry Leaves Stir Fry

I promised a recipe before Thursday, and well... I am keeping half of my promise. I am bringing it to you on  Thursday! And I said that it will be a healthy recipe, and that is what I bring. Now please do not think that the words 'fry' and 'healthy' cannot co-exist. They can. And this is just one of those times when they do! Just stir-fried beets with Indian curry leaves...and trust me, they are way too good. Beets are not everyone's favourites, I know. And I have seen a lot of people repulsive to beetroots. But this dish might help them a bit in liking it.

I think it really will. 

Beets have always seemed ancient to me, in a way as a connection to long human ancestral past. I have never figured out why, but those red and pink large vegetables, pulled out of the earth... somehow they give me that feeling, reminding me of the thousands of decades before us, and all the life that earth sustained. The earthiness and the strange sweetness that they possess are purely their own, unique, and can never be substituted by anything. And they carry loads of goodness. All for us. Come on...let's be good and not neglect them...for once...please? Pretty please? Let's try this dish. It could change opinions. Give it a try.

Beets and Curry Leaves Stir Fry

This is a simple quick dish that comes around in 10 minutes maximum.

Serves 2 as sides

2 large or 3 medium sized beetroots peeled and grated coarsely

10 or more Curry Leaves

1 tsp Mustard seeds

1/4 tsp Cumin seeds (optional)

1/6 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt as required to taste

Chilli powder or Cayenne pepper as required to taste (I used 1/4 tsp of chilli powder)  

1 Tbsp oil (canola/sunflower/groundnut/olive oil)

A pinch of Asafoetida (optional)

In a heavy bottomed skillet, heat the oil. Once the oil is hot, put in the mustard seeds. Once they splatter, put in the cumin seeds (if using) and add the curry leaves. Step behind for they create a huge drama splattering! After they slightly crisp, add the asafoetida (if using). Add the grated beets into the skillet and stir well to coat the beets completely. Sprinkle a little water over them and cook in medium to high heat, covered for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add salt, turmeric, chilli powder and stir well. Keep stirring every other minute for another 5 minutes. And it's done! Remove from heat, serve alongside rotis, rice, or as a salad.

P.S(!) : I know that the photo above is not even a passable picture of the dish, but I was in a hurry and you have got to kindly adjust!