Thursday, April 21, 2011

Beetroot Rice, Spinach Rice, Carrot Rice (Toddler Lunchbox Series Menu #3)

My quest for nutritious, cook-in-a-jiffy recipes to pack for my son to take to his daycare continues! I'm happy to report I've made good progress and this week have 3  recipes to give you...Although my mom usually cooks what he takes for his lunch, I keep foraging around for newer recipes and that's how I came across this wonderful site Archana's Kitchen, from where all 3 of today's recipes are sourced. I think these need not be limited to kids lunchboxes but can be just right for those lazy afternoons if you're alone at home or to pack for your own lunchbox, if you take one to work! If you start cooking the veggies at the same time as the rice, this dish will get ready in less than 20 minutes. Pair it with a raitha, pickle, and pappad and you're all set!


I've modified all recipes to make it for just one person, so please adjust your ingredients accordingly.

Beetroot Rice
  1. 1/2 cup Basmati rice
  2. 1/2 cup grated beetroot
  3. 1/2 teaspoon ground and roasted cumin powder (or whole cumin seeds)
  4. 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
  5. 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  6. 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint or coriander leaves
  7. 1/2 teaspoon sambar powder (you can substitute with any other "curry powder" of your choice)
  8. 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
  9. 1 tablespoon butter or ghee
  10. Salt to taste
  • First cook the rice in 1 cup plus a little extra water, with salt, until all the water is absorbed and rice is cooked. Drain extra water if necessary. Keep aside.
  • Heat butter in a pan, add the cumin, onion and garlic and stir till the onions are translucently pink.
  • Now add the grated beetroot and cook, covered, until it is cooked. Sprinkle a little water if necessary.
  • Then add the sambar powder and garam masala powder, mint/coriander leaves, and salt. Combine well and take off the heat.
  • Now mix this into the cooked rice and it's ready to eat!
Spinach Rice
Same procedure as above. Just substitute the grated beetroot with half cup of finely chopped spinach.

Carrot Tomato Rice
Same procedure as above. Use 1/2 cup of grated carrots and chopped tomatoes instead. Add 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder along with the sambar powder and garam masala powder.

TIPS:
You could vary the tempering by adding mustard seeds, curry leaves, etc.
I also add a dash of hing (asafoetida) to help in digestion.
You could add a small dot of ghee at the end stage for an extra taste!
Try this with a mixed vegetable combo or any other single vegetable too and let me know how it turned out!

I'm linking this to What's Cooking Thursdays and to


13 comments:

Reshmi Mahesh said...

Perfect for lunch box....yummy too

Unknown said...

looks very healthy and colorful!love both carrots and beets!

Kankana said...

Super healthy and colorful rice dish. I make spinach rice a lot .. never made beet rise though.. will try!

Torviewtoronto said...

flavourful colourful rice

Katerina said...

You are a good mommy Karishma, trying to feed your little bird with the best of ingredients. These ones look like the perfect choice for the lunch box of your son! Take care my friend!

Binys Recipes said...

wowwatta a collection of quick fixes...love the rice recipes

Trisha said...

They all sound lovely ... I can't wait to try them out - good find!

Prathima Rao said...

A handy collection of delicious rice treats :) Particularly love the spinach rice :)
Prathima Rao
Prats Corner

Ambreen (Simply Sweet n Savory) said...

Sounds delicious ... lovely ideas!

Unknown said...

oh soo yumm... def will try this

aipi said...

My little princess is a total fussy eater... flavored rice is one of the only few things that she eats without complaining too much. I make different kinds but never tried with beets. Very nice idea, will definitely try soon.
US Masala

Swati Sapna said...

Hey Karishma! I have an award for you on my blog... :) Just a thank you for being a loyal follower.

Emreen said...

Three recipes in one post.. Amazing... I totally love this Toddler Menu Series... !!

Congrats on the new Award ;-) ;-) ...

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