Beetroot chi dahyatli koshimbir : Beetroot Yogurt salad

Koshimbir forms an important part of a balanced Maharashtrian meal. These salads, usually eaten during lunch or dinner mostly consist of two versions :

1. Vegetables mixed with yogurt

2. Vegetables topped with phodni (tadka)
Sometimes they are even eaten plain with just an addition of cumin powder and chilli powder.

The vegetables here can either be chopped, grated or diced. These salads are most easy to prepare and are simple too. No sauces, no fancy dressings or no cooking. Maintaining the health factor, at times, peanuts and coconut are added which are popular in Maharashtrian cuisine. 

Dahyatli koshimbir is basically Raita as we popularly call in Hindi, where the vegetables are mixed in yogurt dressing. I have already posted recipe of Kakdichi Koshimbir and Tomato chi koshimbir in the Koshimbir special . My mother makes grated beetroot salad with phodni (spiced oil or tadka), but here i am posting Beetroot salad with yogurt. This salad can also be served without yogurt, or at times by skipping the tadka and simply adding cumin powder, chilli powder, salt and sugar.

Recipe adapted from : "The Essential Marathi cookbook"

Ingredients:

Beetroot - 2 medium

Onion - 1 (optional)

Yogurt - 3/4 cup whisked

Sugar - a pinch

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 and half tsp (you can also use ghee)

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Green chillies - 1-2 sliced lengthwise

Corriander leaves - a few to garnish

Recipe:

Boil the beetroot till soft. It takes about 15-20 minutes. After it cools down, peel it and grate it.

Chop the onions finely. Mix them with the grated beetroot.

If the whisked yogurt is too thick, add in 4-6 tbsp of milk or water. Add salt and mix well.

Add this yogurt to the beetroot-onion mixture.

Heat oil in a pan till smoking hot.

Add cumin seeds and let them pop. Add the green chillies. 

Now mix this with the beetroot mixture.

Garnish with corriander leaves.

Happy Cooking :)