Beetroot Rice / Simple Beetroot and Green peas rice

Beetroot is one of the vegetable that gives a natural red color and a mild sweetness to the dish. This Beetroot rice is very simple with very few ingredients.  Either you can spice it up and make it as a pulao or can be kept mild.  I have made it mild and non-spicy as a comfort food for lunch.
A great recipe for kids lunchbox.  Try out this colorful and yummy rice with a combo of raita and some spicy veggies.

Beetroot and Green peas Rice Recipe (non-spicy) - Ingredients:
Cooking time: 20 mins | Recipe Cuisine: Indian | Recipe Category: Main dish | Serves: 2

Basmathi rice - 1 cup
Beetroot juice - 1/4 cup ( 1 medium beetroot)
Green Peas  -  1/4 cup (fresh or Frozen)
Onion - 1 finely chopped
Red chili powder  - 1/2 - 1 tsp
Salt to taste.
Lemon juice - 1 tsp

To temper:
Oil  -  1 tbsp
Mustard   -  1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - a handful
Dry red chili  - 2

Method:
1. Soak the rice for 30 mins and pressure cook for 2 whistle with 2 cups of water (1:2 ).  Fluff the rice and keep aside.

 

2. Grate the beetroot and take the juice of it . Meanwhile cook the peas in hot water and drain it.

3. Heat a kadai with oil and  splutter all the ingredients under ' to temper' and saute onions until golden brown.

4. Add the beetroot juice and simmer it for 3 mins till the water content it absorbed.

5. Finally add the rice and cooked peas along with salt and chili powder and mix it well. Squeeze the lemon juice and mix well.

You can drizzle with a tsp of ghee if wanted , and serve hot with onion-tomato raita.

Note:

• Adjust the spice level accordingly.
• Extracted beetroot juice will give a nice color to the rice and you find no trace of the veggie at all.