Beet Root Pulao / Beets Pulao With Fresh Beets Juice / Beet Root Coconut Milk Pulao

Today's recipe is an interesting and colourful One Pot meal using fresh beets juice and coconut milk. For a change along with coconut I extracted beet root juice and made this simple Pulao. It does not need more spices just a few simple ingredients and procedure. This pinkish red colour pulao is sure to attract anyone and the mellow coconut flavor gives unique taste to the dish. If you haven't tried pulao or biryani using fresh beets so far, please go ahead and try this easy, healthy and delicious one pot meal for your kids and loved ones. Just a few more days for Valentine's Day this pulao is one of the best choice for Valentine's Day lunch or dinner menu. Now off to the recipe..

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Cooking Time : 25 minutes

Serves   2 generously

Ingredients

1. Basmati Rice   1 cup
2. Beet root   1 medium(peeled & shredded)
3. Coconut    1/4 cup (shredded, fresh or frozen)
4. Onion   1 no. (thinly sliced)
5. Green chilli    4 no.s(slit open)
6. Mint Leaves    2-3 tbsp (chopped)
7. Lemon Juice    2 tsp
8. Salt    to taste

To Temper

1. Oil   1 tbsp
2. Shahi Jeera/Black Cumin seeds   1/4 tsp
3. Cinnamon   1" stick
4. Clove   3 no.
5. Cardamom    2 no.s
6. Bay Leaf   1 no.

To Grind

1. Ginger    1 " pieces
2. Garlic   2 fat cloves
3. Green chilli   2 no.s
4. Fennel seeds    1/2 tsp 

Method

• Wash and soak Basmati Rice for at least 20 minutes
• Wash beet root, peel skin and shred and grind it along with fresh coconut using 1/2 cup water to a fine paste.

• Then extract the juice from the ground paste using tea filter or using clean cloth and keep the beet-coconut milk extract aside.
• Grind ginger, garlic and green chilli to a coarse paste and keep aside.

• Now heat oil in a skillet, when its hot add the tempering ingredients and fry well.
• Then add sliced onions, green chilli and 2 tbsp mint leaves and saute for 2 minutes.

• After that add ground ginger-green chilli paste and stir fry until raw smell leaves.
• And then add the soaked and drained rice and stir fry for 2 minutes, take care not to break the rice.

• And now add the beets coconut milk extract( 1 and 1/2 cup), 1/4 cup water and enough salt, lemon juice..stir well.
• Cook covered until rice is done. 

• That's it..Beets Pulao ready. Garnish with finely chopped mint and cilantro. Serve Hot with Raita.

Notes:

For 1 cup rice you need 1 and 3/4 cup or 2 cups of water.

I got about 1 and 1/2 cup beets coconut milk extract and used 1/4 cup water to cook rice. But i felt i should have added 2 cups so the rice have cooked even more soft and fluffy.

But i cooked the pulao in microwave after taking pictures so it turned very soft with rice grains separated.

Use cheese cloth/muslin cloth to filter the juice..since it will be easy to squeeze and extract it fastly than by using the tea filter method.

You can also use 1 cup shredded coconut and 1/4 cup beets juice for more coconut flavor and taste.

If desired, lastly add some ghee roasted cashew nuts to the rice.