SRI LANKAN BEETROOT CURRY

I decided to make another Sri-Lankan Beetroot Curry unusually this one by Rick Stein does not contain coconut milk.  It is almost a stir fry, and it is spicier and earthier than the SRI LANKAN WITH COCONUT MILK. We served it with yoghurt and mango chutney and Indian bread. Both recipes demonstrate how you can prepare delicious food from simple ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

750g raw beetroot, trimmed of their leaves and peeled

3 tablespoon coconut or vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

7.5cm cinnamon stick, broken into smaller pieces

10 – 12 curry leaves

2 green cayenne chillies, thinly sliced

150g onions, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon un-roasted SRI LANKAN CURRY POWDER.

1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder

Half teaspoon turmeric powder

125g chopped tomatoes (fresh or tinned)

1 tablespoon lime juice

METHOD

Cut the beetroot across into 7-8mm thick slices and then cut each sliced into 7-8mm wide batons.

Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, cinnamon and curry leaves and leave to sizzle for a few seconds unti the mustard seeds stop popping. Add the green chillies, onions and garlic and fry for 5-6 minutes until soft and lightly browned.

Stir in the curry powder, chilli powder and turmeric, cook for a few seconds, then add the beetroot, tomatoes and 1 teaspoon salt.

Cover and cook over a medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring regularly until the beetroot is just tender but still very slightly crunchy. Add a couple of tbsp of water during cooking if it starts sticking to the base of the plan but ideally leave it to cook in its own juices.

Uncover, stir in the lime juice

Serve

Original recipe Far Eastern Odyssey Rick Stein