Beetroot rice and Roast potatoes

The change of weather has made me too lethargic ( by laziness) and I have been enjoying the downpour with books and coffee. Reading has held me from venturing into the kitchen for the past few days and I am still under its strong grip. When a book is too engrossing then everything else becomes less interesting, until the final pages are read, while casting aside the unfinished chores. They can wait, can’t they?  Right now I am under such a spell with a few good books in hand to finish, before I tune in to the rhapsody of my kitchen.

Beatroot is the least favourite vegetable of my folks,  next to bitter gourd. Two opposite tastes, sweet and bitter, but treated with the same indifference and hate. But the following method of cooking beetroot, turned their indifference to, acceptance and liking to the vegetable, to my surprise. Initially, when I tried as a stir fry, it was appreciated and on another time, tried mixing the same with rice and packed for lunch with a drizzle of ghee, as I said beetroot was finally accepted and it won’t be long before it tires them out or me for that matter and sooner or later I have to come up with a new recipe to cook beetroot and impress them.
Beetroot Rice
Ingredients
Parboiled rice                 1 cup
Beetroot                          300 g ( grated)
Onion                               1
Ginger garlic paste        1tsp
Chilly powder                 1 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder           1/4 tsp
Mint leaves                     1tbsp
Cooked green peas        1/2 cup
Cardamom                      2
Cloves                              2
Cinnamon                       2 small pieces
Fennel 1/4 tsp
Oil 1tbsp

Cook the rice, spread it on a plate and let it cool.
Heat oil in a pan, add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon,fennel and when it begins to change colour, add the sliced onion and stir until it is cooked.
Add in the ginger garlic paste, stir for a few seconds, add in the grated beetroot, turmeric powder, chillypowder, salt, stir well, close the pan and cook on low heat.
When the vegetable is cooked, stir on medium heat to remove any excess liquid, add in the chopped mint leaves, stir.
Add the vegetable mixture to the rice and mix well. Toss in the cooked green peas, mix well and serve with roast potatoes.
Note:
I soaked some dry peas overnight and cooked them with little salt and a pinch of turmeric powder.
Can serve this as a stir fry ( porial ) also (skip the rice ).
Can avoid cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and use only fennel, if desired for a change and still it will be good.
 Two important ingredients that changes the taste of this stir fry are the ginger garlic paste and mint leaves, so make sure these two are present.

Roast Potatoes
Potatoes             500 g
Garlic                 4 - 5 cloves
Olive oil             1- 2 tbsp
Mixed spices      2 tsp
Chilly flakes       1 tsp
Salt
Rinse the potatoes in water well, cut into wedges. Place it on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, spices, chilly flakes, salt, some chilly powder if desired and bake at 180*c for about 30 - 40 minutes.