My kids are well behaved ones - the older one almost all the times while the younger one until she sees any one of us, her family. For the outside world, she is an angel with a cheery disposition who can bring a smile on even a gloomy adult's face. However at home, it is totally a different story. She whines and wails over things that are not going her away, with no traces of embarrassment. The only respite being that happens behind closed doors of ours. Besides she have a strong mind of her own with preconceived notions about everything, including food.
Obviously, I have to deal with the "lunch box" terror like all mothers. I can cajole or threaten my daughter to eat anything for the rest of the meals at home but lunch at school is totally under her control. If I pack something that she doesn't prefer, the lunchbox comes home untouched under the pretext that she was not hungry. And so over the years, through trial & error and considering her likes and dislikes, I have settled at the moment with few dishes for her lunch box. Macaroni & cheese being the most favorite of hers. Next comes parathas or rice with a south Indian style curry of her preference.
This healthy and yummy south Indian style beetroot curry is one of her favorite ones and gets packed 2 -3 times per month for her lunch box along with steamed rice.
Ingredients:
3 cups, peeled and cubed beetroot
1/4 cup shredded fresh coconut
Salt to taste
Chili powder to taste
1 tsp sugar (optional)
For tadka:
1 - 2 Tbsp oil
1 tsp chana dal / Bengal gram
1 tsp urad dal / black gram
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
Few curry leaves
1/8 tsp turmeric powder
Method:
* Heat oil in a pan and all the tadka ingredients. When the dals turn reddish, add the beetroot. Cover and cook until beet cubes turn tender.
Or add a couple of Tbsp of water to beetroot and cook in a pressure cooker. Drain and add the cooked beetroot cubes to the tadka.
* After beetroot is done, add salt, chili powder and coconut to the pan. Some beetroots don't have the natural sweetness and they
taste bland. In that case, I add a little sugar to the curry but the addition of sugar is optional. Mix the curry well and cook for 2 - 3 minutes more.
* Serve with rice / rotis.
This is my entry to
1. Srivalli's "Kids' Delight" event, hosted this month by PJ, with the theme "Lunch Box Recipes"
2. Blogging marathon #25.
Very catchy, excellent curry and beautiful rice.
ReplyDeleteSimple dish yet makes the lil ones happy :)
ReplyDeleteAh tell me about untouched lunch boxes, that's my everyday worry when I get back home and check out my kid's boxes. Your daughter is so cute, and if you can pass off beets, then she is surely adorable Suma...!
ReplyDeletevery healthy n yumy
ReplyDeleteLooks so delicious. It is my daughter's fav too...
ReplyDeleteYour daughter is ready to take rice to school, mine wants only PJ's or pasta's. Packing lunch has become such a tough thing.The beets curry looks colorful.
ReplyDeleteGood one. I make the curry exactly the same way using the pressure cooker. This also happens to be my kid's fav though they prefer eating this curry at home.
ReplyDeleteMy kids doesn't show interest in beet root but this will attract them..need to try.
ReplyDeleteSuch a beutiful color no Nice recipe Suma
ReplyDeleteAbout my sambar powder recipe for this recipe I don,t use dals but in my my other sambar recipe I use dals for powder..:)
Inviting rice..Sure kids will love it..
ReplyDeleteSaras
Dish In 30 Minutes - Soups & Salad
love the way it colors the rice
ReplyDeleteWhat a colorful curry. I'm the only one who eats beets in my house. Packing lunch for my 5 year old is an everyday struggle which is why I love pizza Fridays.
ReplyDelete