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Autumn is the season when plenty of vegetables and fruits come into season, but none are as colourful and bright as beetroot. Beetroot, with its vibrant magenta colour that turns into shades of pink when cooked with white ingredients, is also mildly sweet and earthy in taste—which just makes it perfect for a number of sweet and savoury dishes from around the world. And when it comes to Indian cuisine, the culinary applications of beetroots are plenty too.
For those who don’t love the taste of raw beetroots in salads and want something more than simple soups, Indian cuisine offers up a plethora of dishes that can be cooked up and savoured at home. Of course, different regions of India always manage to add local flavours and ingredients to beetroots to make up dishes that are simply incredible in taste. Paired with rotis, rice and enjoyed as snacks with chutneys, these beetroot dishes are must-haves in autumn.
Video Credit: YouTube/Hebbars Kitchen
Also known as chukandar in North India, beetroots form an essential part of autumnal food. If you are looking for beetroot dishes from around India to try out this autumn, here are a few Indian beetroot dishes you should try out.
Chukandar Raita
One of the easiest beetroot dishes to whip up, Chukandar Raita is a North Indian favoruite across households in winter and autumn months. Beetroots are peeled and finely grated, then mixed in with yoghurt, cumin seeds, salt, chaat masala and even coriander leaves to make a vibrant, pink-coloured side dish. Many people also add pomegranate seeds and grated cucumbers to make this raita more colourful.
Beetroot Chitranna
Quite like the Tamil Sadam, Chitranna is a rice-based dish from Karnataka—especially the Udupi region—that is cooked with a variety of ingredients. During autumn and winter months, grated beetroots are cooked up with curry leaves, mustard seeds, urad dal, chana dal, green chillies, salt and leftover rice to make Beetroot Chitranna. This one-pot dish can also be enjoyed as a tiffin treat.
Chukandar Paratha
If you love eating parathas then this Punjabi Chukandar Paratha is one that you simply shouldn’t miss. Grate the beets, mix in some salt, then strain out the excess water. Mix chopped chillies, spices and some paneer or potatoes if you want, then place this stuffing in a paratha dough. Roll these out, fry them in ghee and enjoy your Beetroot Parathas.
Beet Sambharo
A simple pickle from Gujarat, Sambharo is traditionally made with papayas and served with Fafda as an evening snack. During autumn, as beetroots become available, Beet Sambharo is the variety that gets made across shops and homes in the state. Grated beetroot is mixed with salt, tumeric, pepper, chillies and often other veggies like papayas. The mix is then rested for a few hours to develop pickled flavours.
Vegetable Chop
The general use of “vegetable” in this dish’s name might have you confused, but the fact is that this Bengali street food is packed with beetroots and has the signature colour of this vegetable inside and out. Boiled beets are mixed with lots of other vegetables, coated with cornflour and breadcrumbs and then shallow-fried to perfection to make this vegetable chop. The dish is served with kasundi and ketchup.
Beetroot Rasam
You might have tasted the traditional tomato-based Rasam from Tamil Nadu, but if you don’t know what you are missing until you have tasted the beetroot-loaded version of the dish. The beetroots are chopped and steamed, then cooked with a blend of cumin seeds, pepper, chilli, tamarind, curry leaves and more. Slightly sweet and tangy, this one is a must-have dish when chilly autumn arrives.
Beetroot Halwa
Thanks to its naturally sweet taste, beetroots easily transition into desserts and this Beetroot Halwa is a prime example. Prepared across North Indian homes during autumn and winter months, this halwa is made by cooking grated beets in ghee, then adding sugar, cardamom and a bit of milk to make a thick, mushy bowl of autumnal goodness. You could also try some beetroot kheer if you are in an experimental mode.
Beetroot Thoran
Thoran is a category of dry dishes from Kerala and is made with a variety of vegetables ranging from raw bananas to banana blossoms. In autumn, Beetroot Thoran becomes a staple across Malayali homes. The dish is prepared by cooking finely chopped beetroots in coconut oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies, salt and coconut. Slightly sweet and coconutty, this must be enjoyed during autumn and winter seasons.
