Recipe: Chef Sarab's Beetroot Upma

September 2 is World Coconut Day.

Given the amount of coconut we consume and how much the various Indian cuisines utilise, via chutneys, seafood curries, coconut water, payasams and more, we don't really need a day to celebrate the nariyal because every day, nearly, is a coconut day. But have you ever had Beetroot Upma with a little coconut milk in it?

Your kids will look forward to breakfast with Chef Sarab Kapoor's version of upma that's a vibrant shade of pink.

Speedy to make, it can be on your plate in less than 30 minutes, garnished with salted cashews and torn curry leaves as finishing touches.

Beetroot Upma

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ½ cup rava or suji or semolina
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp rai or mustard seeds
• 1 green chilly, chopped
• 1 medium-sized beetroot
• 3 tbsp coconut milk
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 small onion, chopped
• Salt to taste, around ½ tsp
• Water + 1 cup hot water
• ½-inch piece ginger, minced
• 1 sprig curry leaves + a few extra leaves, torn for garnish
• Handful cashews, fried in a little oil with a dash of salt, for garnish

Method

• Boil the beetroot till soft over medium heat.
  Take off heat, cool, peel, cut into small pieces and blend in a mixer/blender into a smooth paste.
  Keep aside.
• In a frying pan, dry roast the semolina until golden brown over medium-low heat.
  Take off heat and keep aside.
• In the same pan, heat the ghee over medium heat.
  Add in the mustard seeds and half of the curry leaves.
  Add the chopped green chilly.
  Add the chopped onion and the minced ginger.
  Saute till the onion becomes soft.
  Add the roasted semolina, salt, lemon juice, beetroot paste, hot water and the coconut milk, stir and cook till the mixture comes together.
  Take off heat, garnish with the cashews and the remaining curry leaves.
  Serve hot.

Chef Sarab Kapoor lives in Singapore and is a television personality, cookbook author and culinary consultant.

• REDIFF FOOD