Beetroot Poriyal, also known as Beetroot Thoran, is a popular South Indian stir fry made with beetroot, fresh coconut, and a few tempered spices. It is a perfect accompaniment to pair with rice and rasam.
Beetroot Poriyal, along with carrot beans poriyal and cabbage poriyal, are some of my favorite poriyal recipes that I often make at home. It's healthy, super easy to make, needs few ingredients to prepare, and comes together in very little time. I love to pair it with hot steamed sona masoori rice and rasam, or sometimes with a comforting bowl of curd rice.
Beetroot Poriyal is a common side dish served in South Indian restaurants, often part of a traditional South Indian thali.
More poriyal recipes, you may like are asparagus poriyal, broccoli poriyal, and brussel sprouts poriyal.
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Ingredients
Ingredients
- Beetroot: I used fresh beets.
- Onions: It's optional. Adding it gives a good taste.
- Tempering: I used mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, green chilies, hing, and curry leaves.
- Fresh coconut: Use shredded fresh coconut for garnishing. Frozen coconut works well too.
How to Make Beetroot Poriyal
First, peel the beetroot and cut it into small cubes. You may also grate the beetroot and use it.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a kadai over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon urad dal, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, ½ teaspoon cumin seeds. Sauté until the dal turns light brown and aromatic.
Then add 2 green chilies, 1 teaspoon minced ginger, 1 stalk curry leaves, and 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing). Sauté for a few seconds.
Add 1 small onion (finely chopped) and sauté until the onions are translucent and lightly browned. Takes approximately 2 minutes.
Next, add 2 cups of chopped beets, salt, and stir-fry over a medium-low flame for 1-2 minutes.
Then add ¼ cup of water, close the lid, and cook until the beets are tender. It will roughly take about 10-12 minutes.
Note: If you’re short on time, you can use steamed beetroot instead. You can pressure cook the beets in the Instant Pot to save time and effort.
Turn off the gas, sprinkle ¼ cup of shredded coconut, and combine well.
Remove from heat and serve with hot rice.
Instant Pot Method
- Press Saute. Heat oil, then add urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, let the dal turn light brown, and mustard splutter. Then add green chilies, minced ginger, curry leaves, and hing. Saute for a few seconds.
- Next, add the onions and sauté until they turn translucent. Then add chopped beets, salt, and water to the pot. Mix well. Cook on "High Pressure" for 2 minutes, followed by natural pressure release for 5 minutes, and carefully release the remaining pressure.
- Lastly, add grated coconut and give a stir. If there is excess water, press the Sauté button and stir-fry for an additional 2 minutes to evaporate it. Beet poriyal is ready.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the beetroot stir fry with hot sona masoori rice, rasam, and a glass of neer majjige (spiced buttermilk) for a comforting South Indian meal. You can also pair it with chapati or plain paratha.
Expert Tips
- Cut the beetroot into small cubes, which helps to cook them faster. You can also grate the beetroot and use it in the poriyal.
- You can skip onions in this recipe, but this poriyal tastes best with onions.
- I used olive oil, but using coconut oil enhances the flavor of the poriyal.
More Indian Beetroot Recipes
Beetroot Poriyal | South Indian Beetroot Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 2 medium beetroot diced, (about 400 grams)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon urad dal
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 2 green chilies finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 1 stalk curry leaves
- 1 pinch hing
- 1 small onion finely chopped (about ½ cup)
- salt to taste
- ¼ cup water add more if required
- ¼ cup shredded coconut (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- First, peel the beetroot and cut it into small cubes. You may also grate the beetroot and use it.
- Heat olive oil in a kadai over medium heat. Add urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds. Sauté until the dal turns light brown and aromatic.
- Then add green chilies, minced ginger, curry leaves, and asafoetida (hing). Sauté for a few seconds.
- Add onions (finely chopped) and sauté until the onions are translucent and lightly browned. Takes approximately 2 minutes.
- Next, add chopped beets, salt, and stir-fry over a medium-low flame for 1-2 minutes.
- Then add some water, close the lid, and cook until the beets are tender. It will roughly take about 10-12 minutes.Note: If you’re short on time, you can use steamed beetroot instead. You can pressure cook the beets in the Instant Pot to save time and effort.
- Turn off the gas, sprinkle shredded coconut, and combine well. Remove from heat and serve with hot rice.
Instant Pot Method
- Press Saute. Heat oil, then add urad dal, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, let the dal turn light brown, and mustard splutter. Then add green chilies, minced ginger, curry leaves, and hing. Saute for a few seconds.
- Next, add the onions and sauté until they turn translucent. Then add chopped beets, salt, and water to the pot. Mix well. Cook on "High Pressure" for 2 minutes, followed by natural pressure release for 5 minutes, and carefully release the remaining pressure.
- Lastly, add grated coconut and give a stir. If there is excess water, press the Sauté button and stir-fry for an additional 2 minutes to evaporate it. Beet poriyal is ready.
Nutrition
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