Like I have mentioned in my previous recipes, beetroot is such an underrated and underutilised vegetable. It has very many nutrition qualities associated with it. If you like sambar/huLi then you must try this beetroot sambar.
Beetroot renders a deep burgundy colour to this sambar making it extra special compared to regular brownish looking sambars. Beetroot is one of those vegetables which bleeds its colour to everything it touches. But it does good.
This beetroot sambar has a hint of garlic added into the tadka making it extra fragrant. I had learnt this recipe from my dear family friend. I had absolutely loved the idea of beetroot sambar. The combination with beetroot saasme makes it a complete beet meal!
Try beetroot bhaat, beetroot peel crisps and this beetroot saasme. It has been a long time since I shot this recipe but the turn never came and this was left somewhere in the back of the queue. Anyway here it is, enjoy this piping hot with rice. I eat it with chapathi too 🙂
- ½ Cup toor dal
- ¼ Tsp turmeric
- 1 slit green chilli
- 1 Tsp tamarind paste or 1 small lemon sized tamarind squeezed off its pulp
- ½ Tbsp jaggery
- 1 Cup or 1 medium sized diced beetroot
- 1 Tsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp ghee
- 1 finely chopped clove garlic
- ½ Tsp garlic
- Few curry leaves
- Salt to taste
- Rinse toor dal and add 1½ Cups water, sprinkle turmeric
- Pressure cook dal for 4-5 whistles or till soft
- Add a slit green chilli, jaggery and tamarind paste and mix well
- Peel and dice up the beetroot
- Add the beetroot into a pan with water
- Let it cook till beetroot is soft
- Meanwhile, let's make the tadka, heat ghee in a kadai
- Add chopped garlic, throw in a few curry leaves and add jeera
- Once the beetroot turns soft, add dal
- Mix dal well with cooked beetroot
- Add salt to taste
- Finally add the tadka we made earlier
- Serve hot with steamed rice!
Sprinkle little rasam/saarina powder or sambar pudi if you want but plain is very nice
Beetroot Sambar Stepwise:
Rinse toor dal and add 1 1/2 Cups water, sprinkle turmeric
Pressure cook dal for 4-5 whistles or till soft
Add a slit green chilli, jaggery and tamarind paste and mix well
Peel and dice up the beetroot
Add the beetroot into a pan with water
Let it cook till beetroot is soft
Meanwhile, let's make the tadka, heat ghee in a kadai
Add chopped garlic, throw in a few curry leaves and add jeera
Once the beetroot turns soft, add dal
Mix dal well with cooked beetroot
Add salt to taste
Finally add the tadka we made earlier
Serve hot with steamed rice!