Lamb and beetroot curry

Inspiration came when I bought Madhur Jaffrey’s Curry Nation cookbook. I had watched her Curry Nation cooking show and immediately wanted to try her recipes. I looked for them but unfortunately they weren’t all on the BBC’s website. A couple of weeks ago, I found her book for a bargain price – I wasn’t letting that book go!

After buying some baby beetroot, I didn’t know what to cook with it! Do you ever buy a product without knowing what to make with it? It took me a week to finally find something to use the beetroot for. I had quite a few ideas suggested – relish, dips or maybe a Middle Eastern salad. They were all fantastic ideas but I just wasn’t feeling the passion to make any of them, if you know what I mean.

Upon looking through my cookbooks for beetroot recipes, you might say my Curry Nation cookbook “spoke to me”. The beetroot curry looked amazing! I wouldn’t have thought about using beetroot and lamb together but I have to tell you, what a great combination! The sweetness of the beetroot marries wonderfully with the lamb. My husband & I could have easily eaten the whole thing, but we were full and looking forward to having it again the next night (the flavours of curries intensify overnight.)

Looking for a deliciously, healthy curry? Then this curry is for you

Not a big beetroot fan? Neither is my husband. He’s never understood why we put it in our salad sandwiches or hamburgers as it makes the bread/bun go pink and soggy!? How un-Aussie is he?! Beetroot is as Aussie as Weetbix, vegemite and the Meatpie with sauce (which he doesn’t have sauce on his pie either!) But he loves beetroot in this curry!

After this recipe, see what other amazing dishes you can create with beetroot – some inspiration I found while searching for the perfect beetroot recipe.

TIP 1: Once you’ve roasted your beetroot, stick each one with a butter knife. If the beetroot falls straight off the knife, the beetroot is cooked. If the beetroot stays on the knife, place back in the oven for 10 minute intervals, until tender.

TIP 2: Don’t feel like you have to go and buy a fresh bunch or beetroot if you’re not comfortable using it – use tinned/canned beetroot. It’s just as good.

TIP 3: Don’t throw away your beetroot stems and leaves. You can use them for stock, replaces spinach or kale or they are a great alternative for salad leaves.

TIP 4: For a burst of colour to your rice, add one teaspoon ground turmeric to the water when cooking your rice. Not only is turmeric good for health it looks good when serving.

TIP 5: To make a vegetarian beetroot curry, omit the lamb and double the amount of beetroot. This could also be made as a side dish for your next Indian dinner party.

PREP: 1 hour & 5 minutes (roasting) + 30 minutes   COOKING: 1 hour and 15 minutes   SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS:

ROASTED BEETROOT:
1 bunch fresh beetroot, leaves and stems removed
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt

CURRY:
2 tablespoons + 2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, sliced
700 grams diced lamb
2 garlic cloves, grated or minced
3cm piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
1 brown cardamom pod, bruised
3 cm cinnamon stick
1½ teaspoons Kashmiri chilli powder (only add one if don’t like it hot)
1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon garam masala
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly cracked pepper to taste
6 (350 grams) roasted beetroot, peeled and grated
3 Roma tomatoes, quartered (can use canned whole tomatoes – no juice)
¼ cup of fresh coriander leaves (optional) roughly chopped

TO SERVE:
1 teaspoon Greek yogurt per serve (or sour cream)
Poppadums
Basmati rice

METHOD:
ROASTED BEETROOT:

   
Place your beetroot in an oven proof dish. Turn your oven on to 200°C. Sprinkle the beetroot with the olive oil and salt, making sure you roll the beetroot evenly with the mixture. Cover with aluminium foil and bake for approximately one hour and five minutes.

Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to stand, with the foil on, until cool to touch.

When cooled, gently cut the top and tail of the beetroot and gently peel the skin off. I use a small pairing knife. Wear gloves just in case the beetroot stains your hands.

  

Coarsely grate the beetroot and leave aside until needed.
*Disclaimer – Grated beetroot picture comes courtesy of Home Organics. Thank you.

CURRY:
Turn the oven on to 220°C.

  

In a heavy-based saucepan with a lid (use something that can go from the stove to the oven) add 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the onions and lamb. Brown the lamb, remove and set aside until later. Continue frying the onion with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and all spices. Fry until fragrant then add the water so the spices don’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

  

Once a thick paste forms, add in the beetroot and tomatoes, mixing well with the spice paste.

Add back the lamb and coat well with the beetroot. Remove from heat.

Turn the oven down to 180°C and place the pan, with lid on, in the oven. Cook for one hour.

Add the coriander before serving.

To plate up, place the curry in the middle of the table with small bowls or rice for each person. Top with Greek yogurt and enjoy with poppadums. Or as my husband does, place the rice, curry and yogurt on a poppadum and devour!

Bon appetit!

You can also see this recipe on Four seasons Blog Hop #52, where’s there’s plenty of wonderful ideas for all seasons. Love to see you there!

Some inspiration for using beetroots I found while searching for my lamb and beetroot curry:

When I asked people for what I could use my beetroot for, I had someone point me to Kyrstie from A Fresh Legacy and her beetroot relish recipe. I was intrigued that beetroot could be made into a spread! This is a must try.

 

This is Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe, Root vegetable slaw with labneh, from his cookbook Jerusalem. I found this via Fizzle Out and hasn’t Jasmine done a beautiful job with the recipe – it looks perfect! Thank you Jasmine.

 

This dish just spoke to me! I love meatballs as it is but then to find they go so well with beetroot, I knew I had to try this as soon as I could. Thank you to Hens Need Food for a delicious recipe.