Beet Greens Sambar


It was ridiculously naive of me to have discarded the beautiful Beet greens in the past.Well ,not any more,I've become very fond of this antioxidant rich wonder green.Isn't it strange earlier people ate exclusively the beet greens and not the roots.It's quite the opposite today,many know only the roots as the edible part.

While talking to mom the other day ,She asked me "what's cooking?".I said "Beet greens in dal" and asked her "Ammi does the subzi-wala(Vegetable Vendor) at your place sell beets with or without leaves on?" I was surprised to hear the answer as NO.Listen up subzi walas and others who carelessly throw away the beet greens in trash,you need some enlightenment about these Beet greens.Its next only to spinach,kale and chard in its nutritional value.No fair beet greens don't get just as much promotion as spinach.Beet greens can be used in cooking just as any of your favorite green.It can be sauteed or pureed ,to make a healthy addition to a meal.


Thanks to sweta of Bonne Nutrition,I borrowed her brilliant idea of using the beet greens in my everyday sambar.Sambar is the South Indian spicy lentil soup that goes great with rice.The beet greens should be just as good in any kind of lentil\vegetable stew\soup.Beet Greens Sambar is part of my Beet full meal ideas series.Pleased to be sending this over to Weekend Herb Blogging,hosted this week by Ivy of Kopiaste ...to greek hospitality.

Recipe :Beet Greens Sambar.
Ingredients
1/2 cup Yellow Split Lentil(Toor Dal)
1 cup beet greens with stems,washed and chopped
1 Medium sized Carrot sliced
1 medium Plum Tomato chopped
1 cup green pumpkin or squash or zucchini cut in cubes
1/2 onion or 2 shallots
1 big Clove of Garlic
1/2 inch Ginger root or use 1/2 teaspoon Ginger garlic paste.
1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
1/2 teaspoon Red chilly powder
1/2 teaspoon each of Cumin and coriander powder or use 1 teaspoon sambar powder
1 tablespoon of tamarind paste in 11/2 cups of water
1 sprig of Curry leaves
1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds(Methi)
1 teaspoon Salt

Method
Cook the Lentils
Wash and Soak lentil for 10minutes.
Wash and soak the lentil for 5-10 minutes. Drain the water,transfer in a pressure cooker or small saucepan with lid.Add 1 cups of water ,season with salt,1/4 tsp each of turmeric and chilli powder.Add the greens, cover and let cook on medium-high heat for about 10-12 minutes in pressure cooker and 45-50 minutes in the saucepan until soft.When cooked mash or blend it to smooth paste.
Cook the veggies and mix in the mashed Lentils
Heat oil in a saucepan on medium high .Slice the onion and saute for a minute along with cumin seeds, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add minced ginger and garlic saute for another minute before adding rest of the spices ,vegetables and tamarind juice. Simmer till vegetables are tender,about 15 minutes, then mix in the cooked mashed lentils. Simmer for another 5 minutes.Serve warm with rice.

Beet Health Fact
Unfortunately beets are not for people with kidney or gall bladder problems because of the concentration of oxalates in beets.

Comments

Lavanya said…
i dont know abt this beet green yasmeen..thanks for the info..now i will check for this in grocery shops...sambhar looks yummy!!
Vibaas said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vibaas said…
Looks yummy Yasmeen. I started using beet greens recently too. Here's one more recipe, if you are interested :) http://vibaas-world.blogspot.com/2008/12/beetroot-keerai-with-daal.html
Good to know that you've started using the leaves-my hubby loves the pink shade it imparts the sambar:-)
Cham said…
Even the plain stir fry with beet greens are delicous! Delicious sambar!
Sharmila said…
Not only the sabziwalas Yameen .. the greens section in the supermarkets too don't have beet with the leaves on. Such a waste. Love you healthy sambar. :-)
Indhu said…
thanks for the information... I love your blog for all the info you give about the lesser used ingredients.. great looking sambar :)
Manju said…
i never even knew that beet greens was edible. Thanks for that information. WIll look out for it now :)
sriharivatsan said…
I have never tasted this one though heard...Sambar looks perfect and nutritious dear...
Priya Suresh said…
I love beet greens too...Sambhar looks yummy..i tried one as stir fry, they tasted great too...Last picture is really inviting...
Raks said…
Never thought we can make beetroot kerai sambhar,I do with ordinary keerai,sure if I get I will try !
Unknown said…
thanks for the info..very enlightening post..
suvi said…
interesting read yasmeen!!loved the second picture
sangeeta said…
nice photos, n good recipe......i mostly use them in rajma n other north indian curries.......i started using them ever since i started growing my own beets....subziwalas here throw away the leaves..
Ammu said…
Wow! thats really a g8 idea. Will try ur version soon. lovely click.
Anonymous said…
Healthy yasmeen..I know you are greens buddy..howabout health ?
CurryLeaf said…
I came to know about these only when I came there.In India these are very rare.The leves are super healthy and nice of using these in a sambar.Comforting and healthy sambar.
FH said…
I love beets and leaves too, always use it. But when I buy beets here, they come with chopped of leaves most of the time. Sambhar looks yum! :)
Vikis Kitchen said…
Never tried a sambar with this beet greens . I mix it with beets while frying. Thats it:) Nice info. Much useful for me. Thanks.
Gita Jaishankar said…
I have seen beetgreens in many supermarkets though I mever even bothered to throw a glance at them. Nutrious as kale and spinach, wow that good news. I should definitely try this sambar, its a good one Yasmeen :)
Judy said…
When I buy beets, I always try to get them with leaves attached, because they're fresher. Sometimes I use the small leaves in a salad, and only once I tried cooking some of the larger leaves. You are right, they are a very healthful food, and I should get more serious about them. Thanks for reminding me.
Ashwini said…
Beet greens are very nutritious..but dont know why they throw away the greens..I have not made sambar, but I make curry out of it..Tastes like any other greens..Sambar looks yummy..Will try next time.
AnuSriram said…
That looks inviting! Delicious!
Beets green sambhar reminds me of my aunt... looks so perfect and tempting and indeed healthy...
Thats a nice recipe. I always throw away my beet greens because I don't know what to do with them.
Varsha Vipins said…
Thats a great one Yasmeen..I am so crazy about Sambar n here is a way to make them healthy..the last pic..Seeing that I feel like mishmashing it with hand n gulping in..:D
Malar Gandhi said…
I use them here...either in curry or raitha. But never saw beet greens in India. Sad trashing such a nutritional greens! Sambar looks so nice, feel like jumping right into it.
Ivy said…
I love beet greens but the only problem here in Greece is that they sell them with the roots so I always buy them together. At the beginning I also used to through them away. Thanks for all the information given and I shall try and use them more now in cooked meals. The sambar sounds delicious.
bee said…
we use beet greens all the time , 'cos they are closely related to swiss chard. yasmeen, have you tried cauliflower leaves? they are nutrient rich and wonderful tasting too.

in india, the veggie vendors give away cauliflower leaves for free if you ask them. we're growing cauliiflowers this year just for the leaves.
Yasmeen said…
thank you all:)
Bee,cauliflower leaves? now that's something the vendors in US need enlightenment about,coz I hardly see any leaves on the cauliflowers sold here.thanks for the suggestion:)
Deepthi Shankar said…
I have never tasted beet greens , must be really yum in sambar
Joie de vivre said…
I'm excited to see this recipe! In a few months, we will be swimming in beet greens galore and I always like recipes to use them in. I have always just sauteed them in olive oil and then finished with some balsalmic vinegar. It is really good, but it's good to have options when there are a lot of beet greens to go through!
Uma said…
I use these greens in sambar too! So healthy and yummy! Looks gorgeous and mouth-watering Yasmeen!
Unknown said…
Havent tried beet greedns. Looks healthy..
Gayathri said…
Thats a great nutritious treat
Madhu said…
hi yasmeen,
tried this beet greens sambar y'day and we just luved it..... thanks for the recipe..:)
Muneeba said…
I didn't know abt the benefits of beet greens till about a year ago, but I love them now! Thks for giving me a new recipe to use them in, Yasmeen.
Kalyn Denny said…
Sounds like a very delicious dish!
lisa is cooking said…
I've been eating more greens lately, and I was excited to see perfect, fresh, intact greens on the beets I bought at the farmers' market last weekend. I roasted the beets, boiled the greens, and served all with an orange vinaigrette. Your greens sambar looks delicious!

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