Beet Gajorer Torkari / Bengali Beetroot and Carrot Curry

Beet Gajorer Torkai is a must in winter. Well there are lots of dishes which are winter staple but nothing announces winter’s arrival with so much certainty the way beetroot does. Ma used to make it for our lunch box. Frankly I hated this dish then. But if I remember correctly then I used to hate all the vegetables except potatoes in the world.

As much as I hated this Beetroot – Carrot curry in the lunch box, I did not mind that much when I ate it in the breakfast. Warm and fresh, paired with Bengali triangular shaped paratha...it used to be okay. Green peas and potatoes are also added into the carry to have the crunch and sweetness, but of course a little sugar is also added to aggravate the sweetness. The way I remember it, Beet Gajorer Torkari is more of a sweetened curry rather than being salty and spicy. But do omit them if you are not comfortable with sugar. Beetroot has its own sweetness in its juices which is sometimes enough.

Fresh cauliflower, fresh greens, fresh coriander leaves...I think I am in heaven!! It’s a feast for the veggie lovers. Come and do whatever you want!! Taste it and devour!!

Beet Gajorer Torkari / Bengali Beetroot and Carrot Curry

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

1 can of beetroot (I took the chopped one) / 2 fresh beetroot

3-4 medium carrot – peeled and cubed

2 potatoes – peeled and cubed

½ cup green peas

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp red chilli powder

Salt

2-3 tsp sugar

1 tbsp oil

Method:

Heat oil in a pan or kadai and add the potatoes in it.

Sprinkle some salt over them and stir fry the potatoes until they are nicely golden from the sides.

Now add the carrot, turmeric powder and red chilli powder.
If you are using fresh beetroot then pressure cook them beforehand. Then peel off their skin and cut into small bite size cubes.

Mix in everything and put cover. Cook in this way for 5-7 minutes. Do check every 2 minutes to see if nothing has stick to the bottom of the kadai / pan.

After 5 minutes open the cover and add in the green peas and canned / pressure cooked beetroot (if you are using canned beetroot). Also pour in a little of the beetroot juice if you want it a little curry like. I like it that way so added about 1/2 cup of that juice.

Sprinkle some salt and sugar and mix everything. Put cover again and cook for another 7-10 minutes or until all the vegetables are nicely cooked.

Press the vegetables a little with the back of the spoon to mash a little. Not too much.

Simmer until all the water is evaporated.

Taste and adjust the seasoning and put off the flame.

Serve hot with roti / paratha / chapatti.