Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Pink and Pungent - The wonders of 'Down South'!

If you are an Indian from any part of the country, you know exactly what 'Down South' and 'Up North' means. For all of India's diversity and vast expanse, the majority of the population is just called North-Indian or South-Indian. Unless of course you are from the North-east, and then I don't have to spell out what kind of unflattering and politically incorrect names YOU are called! 

But going back to the North-South divide, what I mean is that if you are not from the 4 southern states of Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala or Karnataka, you are called a North-Indian. Doesn't matter even if you live on the western-most tip of the Rann of Kutch or right on the Bay of Bengal in Orissa! Northie you are! And similarly, if you are anywhere from the South, you are a Madrasi for the rest of the country. 

I'm not going to go on about this because you and I have heard and read enough about these stereotypes and prejudices. But today I'm going to talk about food stereotypes of the 'North' and 'South'. 



Now food is one area where the north-south divide has been bridged! Yes, even in the most remote corner of South India you are bound to find Paneer Butter Masala and Tandoori Roti, while the North of India abounds in Udipi restaurants which serve Idlis and Dosas round the clock. But there is so much more to regional Indian cuisine!

My pet peeve has always been that even though we live in Mumbai, there are only a couple of restaurants that serve you good, authentic Maharashtrian cuisine. Gujarati and Rajasthani thalis abound, yes, but again it is standardized fare with very little that is original or authentic. And let's not even get to the bastardization of Punjabi food!!

But I have been spending a lot of time in Chennai recently on work, and I'm super impressed with the awesome food you find here at every corner! South Indian food that goes beyond Udipi fare; Chettinadu and Kerala and Karaikudi eateries abound that serve lip smacking regional fare in both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. A whole new world of South-Indian food is just waiting to be discovered by the rest of India from Paruppu Podis, to Chettinadu Chicken 65 to Kara Kozhambu and much much more!


So in keeping with the topic, I decided to blog about a typical Down South dish that is really unique and little-known. I first discovered it on Anushruti's gorgeous blog - Divine Taste. It combines two really disparate flavours - the sweet earthiness of beetroots, and the spicy kick of mustard in a beautiful curry or kadhi kind of dish.
Its traditionally called a Beetroot Sassive, but in my home and office, it has now been christened Beetroot Kadhi! :D


Beetroots are very difficult to like...or cook! I meanw hat can you do with it? Except parboil it for a salad, or eat it raw, or make it into a simple stir-fry... None of them very appetising according to me. But this dish is absolutely lip-smacking, trust me! You make it once and you are bound to add beetroots to your weekly shopping list :) I make this at least once a week and each time, depending on the quality of the beets, I get a different hue of pink! This one here is a pale pink, but there are days when this curry is a dark, shocking pink too!

The recipe is taken from Anushruti's blog:

BEETROOT SASSIVE / BEETROOT KADHI

Ingredients:

1 beetroot, finely chopped
1/3 cup water
1 cup thick yogurt
1 tsp salt

To be ground into a paste:
4 tbsp freshly grated coconut
1 tsp black mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 green chilli
1 tsp coconut oil or any other vegetable oil

For Seasoning:
2 tsp oil
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/4 tsp asafetida powder
1 dried red chilli
3 to 4 curry leaves
  
Method:
In a saucepan, put the beetroot and the water, cover and cook till done, about 7 to 8 minutes. Allow to cool.
In a small wok, heat 1 tsp oil and fry the chilli until white spots appear. Grind the coconut, mustard, turmeric and green chilli to a fine paste, using 2 to 3 tbsp of water.
In a bowl, mix in the cooked beetroot, yogurt, salt and ground paste.
In a small wok, heat the oil for seasoning. Put in the mustard seeds, when they pop, add in red chilli, the curry leaves and asafetida. Pour the hot seasoning over the prepared beetroot and mix well.


The way I like it:
The best combination with this wonderfully pink and pungent, delicious sassive is plain steamed rice. Try it once and you will keep coming back to this recipe again and again!

Comments (27)

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Delicious beet root Kadhi. My daughter is fan of beet root.
So true! You talk wonderfully about the north south idiosyncracies.
we eat here a lot of beatroot soups, esp. in the winter!
That text was very interesing, I wonder how globalization changed food tardition in India?

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Yumm, in Kerala we add ground coconut also to it and we call it beetroot pachadi! Next time try adding coconut. Lovely clicks and yes up north, down south is something I constantly use hehe.

Lovely post as usual, ye my one and only better half who blogs at the rate of one post two months!! ;p

Ty for following on Twitter. I've an fb page like request for you...will send it later.

I like this comment software. Need to get it from you.
Lovely recipe and writeup.. Agreed that North/South outlooks muffles the uniqueness of each state or region... Probably over time things will change ..:))
Reva
Oh, I've never come across this, the colour's so beautiful! It even looks like watermelon!

In one of my moods, I put some water that came from boiling beetroots into majjiga chaaru, and it became a bright pink. I even blogged about it, calling it beetermilk soup, it was a very popular post for a long time!
I totally agree with you, I would also love to try some authentic regional dishes, other than the ones available in our restaurants, I think the blogs are an eye opener
What a gorgeous color! I like beet roots, especially in borscht (a Ukranian dish that my boyfriends grandmother makes)
love the color of beetroot... I love it in fried rice...
This would be yummy I am sure...
Swetha, I just love beets and they and sweet potatoes are the two most favs in the house not just because they are the healthiest but because they taste amazing - I like this version you've presented here - happy you are liking chennai - will be there in Nov myself - can't wait!
Through blogging I have realized how rich Indian kitchen is in variety and flavors. I love beetroots and this dish is something I would be happy to try!
This really looks delish!!!
I love beets and I guess will have to add this to my recipe list!!
I completely agree with you on the division of the north-south thing in India!!!

Love
Mehak www.thedoublemlife.blogspot.com
Beautiful write up!
Love the pale pink colour of your "kadhi". Actually I like beetroot ( does that make me weird ???) but my daughter eats it only when I add it to my cakes. This kadhi here is "my kind" of food. I would love to have this in my meal, subah-dopahar-sham :D.
Lovely write up...and beautiful clicks..Yummy looking preparation...Never tried beets this way..
Wow, I have never seen beets in a savory context before! Love love love the colors :)
love that color. its definitely a nice change fromthe usual yellow or white kadhi!
This is such a unqiue recipe. The beets gave this dish such a beautiful pink color :)
Sasive is one of my favourite Karnataka dishes. I usually make it with chow chow, on rare occasions with fresh cucumber and have even tried it with broccoli once. But I've never made this gorgeous looking beet root version before! Looks so very delicious!! And it's funny that I've never thought to make it with beets because I hold the opposite opinion of beets. I loooooove beets and put it into everything!! Sambar, palya, cutlets, hummus, salads, wraps, chapathies, bread.... I mean everything. Haha I even have a beet root ice cream idea in my head. :op So needless to say, I'll be making your beet root Sasive really soon. :)

Hey and stop calling it Khadi!! Sasive means mustard in Kannada and removing that word makes the name lose its meaning. :)
lovely recipe, space & pics. following you Swati
http://www.relishdelish.blogspot.com
looks so healthy & delicious...mouthwatering!
wow..this is something new and different!!
http://sushmita-smile.blogspot.in/
Hey , good story there! In kerala we do make this and call it Beet root pachadi .It is a staple for our Onam sadhya
Very well written narrative and happy to see beets being utilized. I just posted a roasted beetroot and walnut salad.
Very interesting geographical-culinary lesson. cm
gravy luks healthy and delicious :)
Hi, I have hopped on from Swathi's blog an I must say I have never seen beetroot curry but it has piqued my interest in trying this.

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