Beetroot Rocket Salad with Brie

The other weekend, I uncharacteristically went and bought a bunch of stuff I usually wouldn't. It all started with this amazing salad I had at an Italian restaurant and I was craving it ever since! If I crave for a salad, then you can rest assured it was actually that good. I was almost successful in bringing the same taste at home the very next day!

Let's start with the Brie right here. Except for a couple of times I've had this with crackers at some fancy buffet, I've never bought Brie. That's totally changed now. I am a convert, to say the least.

Hello there, you creamy, evil mound of cheesy goodness.

Next we have Balsamic Vinegar. Again, its something I've had while eating out, I've come across it in other blogs but this is the first time I have ever owned a bottle of this. And while I was at it, I went and bought the best available bottle of balsamic vinegar in Singapore whose price shall not be discussed. Ever.

You are good, you know you're good.

This is what I ended up with. Like I said, it was pretty darn close in taste to the original thing I had in the restaurant. Here's how:

Beetroot Rocket Salad with Brie

Serves 2

What I Used:

4 cups lightly packed rocket lettuce leaves

1 small beetroot, cubed and steamed until cooked yet firm

Brie cheese cut into small pieces

Toasted sunflower seeds (the original recipe used pine nuts)

For the dressing:

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp sugar

A pinch of salt

Toss the salad leaves and other ingredients together. Mix the ingredients for the dressing well and combine just before serving.

There's something about rocket lettuce that makes me want to eat it all day. I am not much of a salad person but this salad totally makes me want to take that back.

The dressing used here is slightly sweet and very mild so it doesn't overpower the taste of the greens or vegetables. The brie gives a nice creamy feel to your bite and the sunflower seeds add a much needed crunch. Perfect!

What's more, its so photogenic! ;)

Beetroot Pachadi Recipe

I made this pachadi the weekend after SJ posted hers here. The reason it took so long to see the light of day is because mine turned out a bit too watery. I used home-made plain yogurt that had turned slightly sour, which is good, but it was also a bit watery and not thick like store-bought one.

Bottom line is, it tasted good but didn't look very glam. And these days I am obsessed with making food look good. Please ignore the pictures on this one and try out the easy pachadi recipe when you have some beetroots lying around :)

Beetroot Pachadi Recipe
Serves: 2
Source: Masala Vade

What I Used:

1 cup grated beetroot
2-3 green chillies
1/3 cup coconut
1.5 tsp mustard seeds
1.5 cups curds or plain yogurt
Salt to taste

For tempering:

Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds - a pinch
Curry leaves - a few

How I Made It:

1. Cook the grated beetroot with some water till soft.

2. Grind the coconut with the green chillies and mustard seeds into a smooth paste using 1/4 cup curds.

3. Add the above paste to the cooked and cooled beetroots. Add the rest of the curds and salt.

4. Heat oil for tempering in a pan and add the curry leaves and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start popping, add it to the pachadi. Mix well.

Sri Lankan Beetroot Thel Dala Recipe

Thel Dala refers to a dry stir-fried dish in Sri Lanka. Usually this is made with Potatoes and called ala thel dala. The book I had mentioned in my previous post on Sri Lankan Mango Curry, Sri Lankan Flavours by Channa Dassanayaka, actually details a thel dala using beetroots.

I have been quite hooked to the book and reading up on differences and similarities between Indian and Sri Lankan cuisines. I really want to try using their salted chillies in my cooking too. The book mentions how they marinate chillies in salt water and use that in their curries. The use of coconut milk is also quite extensive in their recipes.

Beetroot Thel Dala Recipe

Serves: 2-3

Source: Sri Lankan Flavours by Channa Dassanayaka

What I Used:

2 medium-sized beetroots, peeled and diced

1 onion, chopped

1/4 cup tomatoes, chopped

10 curry leaves or 2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

2 cloves garlic sliced

2 green chillies sliced

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 tablespoons oil

1/4 teaspoon chilli powder

salt to taste

How I Made It:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion, curry leaves, cinnamon and garlic and saute until golden brown - about 1 to 2 mins. Then add the beetroot and toss for another 2 mins.

2. Add the tomatoes, green chilies, curry powder, turmeric and chilli and stir until spices are mixed through.

3. Add 1/4 cup water, bring to boil then simmer until the beetroot is tender - about 7 mins. Mix in salt to taste and remove.

Note:

Instead of thel dala, you can also make a curry with the same recipe by adding coconut milk. At step 3, instead of adding water, add 1/4 cup light coconut milk and cook till beets are tender. 2 mins before removing fire, add 1/2 cup thick coconut milk, simmer and remove.

Serve with rice.

This too goes to A.W.E.D Sri Lankan Cuisine hosted by Siri, conceptualized by DK.

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