Beetroot Chutney (South Indian Beet Chutney)
Grated beet sautéed with green chili, blended with coconut and lemon, and finished with a mustard-urad tadka.
Equipment
- Kadhai or skillet
- Blender or small mixer jar
- Box grater
Ingredients
For the chutney
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1 cup grated beetroot packed, about 1 small beet, peeled
- 1 green chili stem removed
- 3 tablespoons grated coconut fresh or frozen
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 tablespoons water plus more as needed
For the tadka
- 1 teaspoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon urad dal
- 6 curry leaves optional
Instructions
Cook and blend
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a pan on medium. Add the green chili and grated beet. Stir 3 to 4 minutes until the raw smell softens and the beet looks shiny. Do not let it scorch or go brown.
- Cool 3 minutes. Add beet, chili, coconut, lemon juice, and salt to the blender.
- Add 2 tablespoons water. Blend to a coarse puree. Add another tablespoon only if the blender stalls. Taste. The chutney should taste like beet first, coconut second.
Tadka
- Heat 1 teaspoon oil. Add mustard seeds. When they pop, add urad dal.
- Stir until the dal is pale gold, about 20 seconds. Add curry leaves if using.
- Pour over the chutney. Stir once. Serve.
Notes
Wear a glove if beet stains bother you. It will stain a wooden board.
Frozen grated coconut is fine. Thaw it first so it blends.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The color darkens a little. Stir and add a few drops of lemon before serving.
I do not freeze this. The beet weeps and the texture goes slack.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!