This delicate and beautiful curry  was part of our Curry Club repertoire at the cookery school.   The sweetness of the beetroot and coconut are tempered with the addition of cumin and green chilli. It is the most stunning colour. The Fresh coconut and lime chutney add a sharpness and freshness to the dish. 

Beetroot and Coconut Curry

You can make this curry the day before it is needed. The flavours intensify and it reheats beautifully.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons coconut oil

2-4 green chillies, finely sliced

2cm piece of fresh ginger, skinned and finely diced or grated

1 large or 2 small shallots, sliced

10 fresh curry leaves (optional)

1teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons sugar

4 beetroot, peeled and cut into matchsticks

450ml can of coconut milk plus 100ml of water

 

Chaat

A chaat is a sprinkle to top a curry. It generally adds additional or contrasting  flavour. Here the mustard seeds and the curry leaves add a contrasting bitter flavour to the sweet curry.

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds

10 fresh curry leaves (optional)

50g fresh grated coconut

1 tablespoon fresh chopped coriander

Curry  – cooking method:

Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan over a low to moderate heat. Stir in the chilli, ginger and shallot and cook, stirring until fragrant and soft.

Stir in the cumin seeds and fry for about 20 seconds until fragrant and just beginning to colour. Stir in the ground cumin and cook for a further 20 seconds.

Add the beetroot matchsticks to the pan and stir to mix well. Add in the vinegar, salt and sugar, mix  and then put the lid on the pan and cook gently for 2-3 minutes until the vinegar is absorbed. Tip in the coconut milk and the water. Cover the pan again and cook the beetroot gently for 20 minutes. At the end of this time the beetroot should be tender and the sauce thick and glossy. Adjust the seasoning and remove the pan from the heat. The curry can be left at this stage and reheated when required.

Chaat –  method:

Heat the oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves and cook until the seeds begin to jump. Add the fresh coconut to the pan and stir well. Cook, Stirring from time to time until the coconut is a light golden brown. This is a slow process, don’t be tempted to increase the heat or the coconut and the seeds will burn.  When cooked, remove the pan from the heat and tip the chaat into a bowl or a small plate and set aside until you are ready to serve.

 

Coconut Lime Chutney

 

Ingredients:

180g fresh grated coconut (see ingredients page)

2 fresh limes

1 small green chilli (medium hot) very finely diced

25g pack fresh coriander, leaves only stalks removed

Method:

Put the fresh grated coconut into a mixing bowl.

zest 1 on the limes and then removed its skin with a very sharp knife and  remove the lime segments from the membrane – as shown in the picture below.

Add the zest and lime flesh to the grated coconut and squeeze over any remaining juice from the membrane.

 

Dice the chilli very finely and finely chop the coriander leaves. Mix both into the coconut. The chilli should give a gentle heat and not be overpowering so err on the side of caution – you can always add more but you cant take it out!

The chutney should have a nice balance between the sweet coconut and the sharp and sour lime. Use the juice from the second lime if you like a sharper note.

Serving the Curry:

 

 

Serve in a pretty dishes sprinkled with the coconut chaat and chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot as part of a curry selection or as a vegetarian meal with cashew and apricot pilaf and coconut and lime chutney and naan bread or your choice.

https://stirringstuff.com/2016/04/18/whole-grain-basmati-pilav-with-cashewnuts-and-apricot