The cooling Beetroot & Mint Raita (Salad)

Hi foodies, today I am going to share a very simple yet very appetizing recipe - The cooling Beetroot & Mint Raita (Salad). It is a quick, easy recipe and a must try for this summer! The combination of crunchiness of beets, the freshness of mint leaves and the creaminess of yogurt is simply unbeatable. I stumbled upon this dish earlier this year when I was trying to find low carb diet recipes. I have tried different versions of it but this one by far is my favorite as it has zero oil and zero sugar. 

                             

I immediately fell in love with this Raita (Salad) as it is not only healthy but also a delicious dish that can be eaten as a side or as a meal by itself. I plan to gobble this dish as my meal at least once a week, especially in summer. 

For a long time, I was consuming beets as a simple salad. I would boil, peel and slice them out on a plate. Though I always knew there are abundant health benefits attributed to this amazing root vegetable, I always struggled about finding ways to consume them until recently. In last few years, I have tried and tested different recipes using beets and trust me this vegetable has never failed to impress me. Beetroots are gifted with natural sweetness and are low in calories, low in fat and a great source of fiber, vitamins as well as minerals such as folate, potassium, iron and Vitamin C. They also help improve blood flow and lower blood pressure. These are just few of their numerous health benefits. 

On the other hand, mint leaves apart from giving cooling sensation, help improve digestion, provide anti-inflammatory and anti bacterial benefits. 

Lastly, yogurt is a great way to consume the much needed nutrients for our body. The active cultures (Probiotics)  in yogurt benefit our digestive system. Yogurt not only contains higher percentage of vitamins and minerals like calcium, vitamin B-12, phosphorus, potassium, etc. but it is also an excellent source of protein. 

So with all these amazing health benefits combined in one power packed dish, this recipe is a jackpot and can't be missed for any reason! This is my version of the cooling Beetroot & Mint Raita and I am sure you and your family will enjoy it as much as we do. Let's get started...

Ingredients -

2 Small or 1 Medium beetroot  

Handful of mint leaves

1/2 Cup whole milk yogurt or Greek yogurt   

1/2 tsp black salt

1 tsp cumin powder

Salt to taste 

      

Let's prepare it...

Peel the beetroots and coarsely grate or shred them using a grater. Transfer the shredded beetroots in a bowl.

                             

Roughly chop the mint leaves and add them to the shredded beetroots.

Now add salt, black salt and roasted cumin powder to the mixture. Please keep in mind to add little less salt than you normally desire as we are also adding black salt to the Raita. You can always add more salt later if you like.

           

Next add whole milk yogurt or Greek yogurt. Mix everything well coating the beetroots with yogurt and spices.

   

Garnish with a spring of mint leaves and voila... the cooling Beetroot & Mint Raita (salad) is ready!

                                 

At this point you can either put the Raita in the fridge for an hour or two before serving, or you can serve it right away (you can use cold yogurt if you plan on serving it immediately.)

Additional note -

I have not used any oil to make this Raita but if you wish you may also add some tempering to it. 

To temper, heat up some oil and add some mustard seeds. When crackled, fry some curry leaves and pour temper evenly over the Raita.

Restaurant style Shahi Paneer (The Royal Cottage Cheese)

Shahi Paneer is one of the most popular North Indian Paneer delicacies made in India. Shahi Paneer literally means the Royal Cottage Cheese. Though it is known as North Indian curry, this curry has its roots in Mughlai cuisine. The name comes from the richness and flavors of the gravy that the Paneer is prepared in. The richness and creaminess of the gravy comes from the use of cashews, cream (malai), tomatoes and onions, while the flavors come from the use of whole spices. The thick creamy gravy can easily leave one craving for more! Whenever I make this delish curry at home, I make some extra gravy so that we can devour the gravy with Parathas or rice. 

Since we are talking about Shahi Paneer and its richness, it naturally brings us to think if this is a healthy meal that you would like to prepare for the family. So let me tell you, Shahi Paneer may not be a dish that you would like to prepare for your daily diet but this is definitely a show stellar if you are preparing it for an occasion or for a weekend treat. Moreover, you could make this dish healthier if you take certain measures like using Ghee (Clarified butter) instead of butter or substitute some of the cream with yogurt. Also, I avoid frying Paneer which saves us from a lot of unwanted fats and calories. You can serve the curry with whole wheat Roti, Paratha or naan (what I usually do) instead of rice or white naan (made from maida/all purpose flour). 

Oh and let's also review some health benefits of the ingredients. Paneer is freshly made cheese by curdling milk and is an excellent source of proteins, calcium, selenium and potassium. Paneer also contains Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids that helps strengthen your bones and teeth. Thus, it is very important for vegetarians who do not get sufficient intake of these nutrients from eating meats or eggs. I usually try to prepare Paneer at home rather than buying from the store. It is very easy to prepare, as it takes only a few minutes to make it and is free of preservatives. On the other hand, the whole spices used to make the gravy help with digestion along with providing a lot of health benefits including anti-diabetic and anti-inflammatory benefits. So here's the rich and healthy dish to please your palate for an occasional retreat...

Let's start from gathering ingredients for this restaurant style Shahi Paneer. 

Ingredients  (Serves 4)

Prepare time - 15 minutes

Cook time - 35 minutes

                                 

5 Medium tomatoes

1  Large Onion 

1 1/2 Tbsp Ginger Garlic paste

200 - 250 gm Paneer 

1/2 Cup Heavy cream/ Malai

10-12 Pcs Cashew

1 Tsp Jeera (Cumin seeds)

3 Cloves

1 Cinnamon stick 

2 Pods Green cardamom 

1 Pod Black cardamom 

4-5 Peppercorn 

1 Bay leaf

1 Tbsp Kasoori methi

1 Tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder (divide into 2 parts)

1 Tsp Turmeric powder

1 Tsp Garam masala powder (optional)

1/2 Tsp Sugar (optional - use if tomatoes are sour)

1/4 Tsp Cardamom powder 

1 Tbsp Oil 

1 Tbsp Ghee (Clarified butter)

2 Tbsp Butter

1/2 Cup Water

Salt to taste

Let's begin cooking...

Take a big saucepan or kadhai and heat up Ghee and Oil at a medium to high flame. 

                                          

Roughly chop tomatoes and onions; add them to the saucepan. Lightly saute for 1 minute on a medium flame without turning the onions brown.

                                          

Now add Ginger garlic paste and mix it well. Saute for another minute or two until the raw smell of garlic is gone. 

                                          

Next add all the whole spices including Jeera, Cloves, Cinnamon, Green cardamom, Black cardamom, Peppercorns and Bay leaf  along with Cashew pieces. Mix it well.

                                         

Add powdered spices including Garam Masala (if whole spices in above step are not added), half of the Kashmiri red chilli powder, and Turmeric powder.

                                         

Add water and cover the pan or kadhai with a lid. Let this mixture cook for about 20 minutes at a medium flame while stirring occasionally.

      

Now turn off the heat and remove all the whole spices. I removed Cloves, Cinnamon, Green cardamom, Black cardamom, Peppercorns and Bay leaf. But you can leave black Peppercorns in, if you like to make it little more spicy. 

     

Let the mixture cool down completely before adding everything to the the blender. Blend everything into a smooth gravy. 

                

Take a big strainer and sieve the gravy into a bowl, this step is essential to make silky smooth gravy. Discard the residue.

      

Now heat up a saucepan or kadhai and add butter. When melted, add remaining Kashmiri red chilli powder. Give it a quick stir, don't let it burn. 

     

Immediately add sieved gravy to the saucepan and mix well. 

                                       

Now add Heavy cream/ malai (leaving some aside for garnishing), Cardamom powder and Kasoori methi powder to the gravy, stir it well. Kasoori methi is a must in any North Indian recipe.. don't skip it. 

        

It's time to add the main ingredient of the dish that defines the curry - Paneer. Add cubed Paneer pieces and gently mix everything without breaking the Paneer cubes. 

                                            

Cover and simmer for 2-3 minutes and let the Paneer soak in all the flavors. Turn off the heat. 

Drizzle remaining heavy cream or malai on the top before serving this palatable Restaurant style Shahi Paneer warm with Paratha, Naan or Rice.

                                     

Additional Notes - 

I used homemade Paneer with fresh herbs in it to infuse more flavors to it. You can use plain Paneer instead, without compromising on the taste.

I have used Jeera/Cumin seeds here, you can also use Shahi Jeera (Caraway seeds) to add an earthy royal touch to the curry.

Since this is Shahi Paneer, it is a great idea to add other nuts if you have them handy. Instead of using only cashews, you can use half soaked almonds and half cashews.

Add Garam masala powder to the curry if you don't have whole spices as mentioned in the recipe.

Add Sugar only if Tomatoes are sour otherwise skip it.

You can avoid using butter completely. Instead simply use the same amount of Ghee (Clarified butter). It is a healthier option. 

To make this recipe Jain, avoid using Onions and Garlic. Add Capsicum/ Green bell pepper instead to the Curry.