What is Beetroot, chukandar?

Beetroot, informally known as beet around the world, seems to be one of those vegetables that one either loves or hates. The rich flesh of this root vegetable is naturally sweet and nutritious, and adds its own touch to dishes ranging from salads to soups. The edible leaves can be prepared in the same manner as other greens.

sliced beetroot

Place boiled and peeled beetroot on a chopping board. Using a knife, trim off the head and tail of the beetroot and cut into halves. Now hold one halve and using a knife, start slicing/ making cuts from one corner of the half to the other to get random semi circles. Sliced beetroot may be used in sandwiches, soups etc.

chopped beetroot

Remove both the ends from the beet using a knife and peel the skin using a vegetable peeler. Using a knife cut it into 2 halves vertically. Now, make thin/ thick slices from each halve lengthwise. Holding all the slices together, chop at regular intervals breadthwise. Chopped beetroot is used in dry subzis, can be used for making fillings for cutlets, pattice etc.

grated beetroot

Place washed beetroot on a chopping board. Using a knife, trim off the head and tail of the beetroot. Hold the thick/ thin end of the grater in one hand and the beetroot in the other hand. Now place the beetroot on the blade and push it downwards using the force of your hands to get grated strands of beetroot. You can grate it thickly or thinly as per the recipe requirement. Grated beetroot can be used in grilled sandwiches, mysore masala dosas etc.

boiled beetroot

Cooking the beetroot with skin on helps retain the nutrients. To boil beetroot, wash the beetroot well. Do not trim the head or tail of the beetroot. That should be done after cooking. Boil water in a deep pan and add little vinegar to it. Vinegar gives the beetroot a bright red colour. Add the beetroots and boil till they are cooked. It will usually take around 25 minutes for medium sized beetroots to cook. Pierce with knife to check for doneness. Boiled beetroot should be then cooled and peeled and further processed (chopped, sliced , cubed or grated) as required for the recipe.

boiled peeled and grated beetroot

To boil beetroot, wash the beetroot well, without trimming the head or tail of the beetroots. Boil water in a deep pan, add the beetroots and boil till they are cooked but take care not to overcook the beetroots as it will be difficult to grate them. Cool completely, trim off both the head and the tail and peel the beetroots using a sharp knife. Place the beetroot on a grater and grate it by sliding it from top to bottom with force. You can grate it into thin or thick shreds as per the recipe requirement.

boiled peeled and chopped beetroot

To boil beetroot, wash the beetroot well, without trimming the head or tail of the beetroots. Boil water in a broad pan, add the beetroots and boil till they are cooked but take care not to overcook the beetroots. Cool completely and peel the beetroots using sharp knife. Trim the head and tail of the beetroot. Using a knife cut it into 2 halves vertically. Now, make thin/ thick slices from each halve lengthwise. Holding all the slices together, chop at regular intervals breadthwise.

beetroot cubes

Remove both the ends from the beet using a knife and peel the skin using a vegetable peeler. Place the beetroot on a chopping board and cut it into 2 halves vertically. Then cut each halve into 2 or 3 more pieces vertically depending on the size of cubes required. Now line all the long pieces together on the chopping board and make horizontal cuts to get square sized cubes. Cube them into big or small pieces as per the recipe requirement. (for example, ? inch or 1 inch cubes). Cut the beet on a glass or nonporous surface to avoid staining.

boiled beetroot cubes

Boil water in a deep pan and add little vinegar to it to maintain the bright red colour of the beetroot. Wash the beetroot and add it to the water without trimming its edges or peeling it. Boil till they are cooked. It will usually take around 25 minutes for medium sized beetroots to cook. Pierce with knife to check for doneness. Cool slightly, remove the ends from the beet and peel it using a knife. Place the beetroot on a chopping board and cut it into 2 halves vertically. Then cut each halve into 2 or 3 more pieces vertically depending on the size of cubes required. Now line all the long pieces together on the chopping board and make horizontal cuts to get square sized cubes. Cube them into big or small pieces as per the recipe requirement. (for example, ? inch or 1 inch cubes).

Beetroot Strips

Place washed beetroot on a chopping board. Using a knife, trim off the head and tail of the beetroot. Using a knife cut it into 2 halves vertically. Now, make thin/ thick slices from each halve lengthwise. Cut each slice into thick or thin strips vertically.

Beetroot can be steamed or cooked in boiling water for 20 to 50 minutes depending on its size. Test the beetroot with a knife; when it's soft, remove it from the heat and cool it under running water - this will make the skin easier to remove for serving or further cooking.

How to select Beetroot

Select beetroots which are firm and small with fresh greens attached (if available in your area). The greens should not be wilted and torn. The beetroot should have a pale brown outer skin covering, should be smooth and free from any cuts, blemishes or other damage. Avoid large beets with hairy taproots. The hair is an indication of the toughness and age.

Culinary Uses of Beetroot

Beetroot can be used to impart a nice sweetness to dishes like salads and dips. The slightly-sweet flavour of beetroot also works well with strong spices, because you get a nice sweet-and-spicy outcome!

	Top 10 Recipes using Beetroot
1.	Beetroot, Peppers, Carrot Healthy Salad for Work
2.	Beetroot Tikkis in Spinach Gravy
3.	Beetroot and Sesame Roti
4.	Creamy Beetroot Risotto
5.	Beetroot and Chickpea Dip
6.	Beetroot and Coconut Sabzi
7.	Beet Treat, Carrot Beet and Apple Juice
8.	Bottle Gourd
9.	Carrot and Beetroot Raita
10.	Cauliflower and Green Peas Stuffed Beetroot Wrap

· The usually deep-red roots of beet are boiled and eaten cold in a salad after adding oil and vinegar. Try combining beetroot and dill along with a vinaigrette dressing for a refreshing chilled salad.
· In India, they are used in various sukhi subzi preparations, raitas, etc.
· In Eastern Europe beet soup, such as cold borscht, is a popular dish. It is served along with sour cream.
· Beetroots are gaining importance even on the roadside in India. Many street vendors make diet bhel in which you have an option of including grated beetroot. Apart from bhel, beetroot is also used in toast sandwiches and stuffed dosas.
· It is usually combined with other vegetables like carrots, radish etc and then covered in a brine made with a base of vinegar and spices. These act as pickled vegetables which go as an accompaniment for main courses.
· Use boiled and pureed beetroots to make dips, chutneys and juices.
· Betaines, obtained from the roots, are used industrially as red food colourants; for example, to improve the colour of tomato paste, sauces, desserts, jams and jellies, ice cream, sweets and breakfast cereals.

Nutritive Information for Chopped Beetroot:

1 cup of chopped beetroot is about 180 grams
RDA stands for Recommended Daily Allowance.

Energy – 77 calories
Protein – 3 g
Carbohydrate – 15.8 g
Fat – 0.1 g
Fiber – 6.3 g

Vitamins:
18 mg of Vitamin C = 83 % of RDA (about 40 mg)

Minerals:
2.14 mg of iron = 10.7% of RDA (20 mg for women)
107.7 mg of Magnesium = 30.77% of RDA (about 350 mg)
99 mg of Phosphorus = 16.5% of RDA (about 600 mg)

How to store Beetroot

Store raw beetroot in zip lock bags under refrigerated conditions. Cooked beetroot should be covered with cling film and then stored in the fridge.

10 Health Benefits of Beetroot

Popularly called as ‘Chukandar’ beet is the root of the beet plant. What’s the best part of the beet we all love? Believe it’s the sweet taste, deep red colour and the crunchiness. What else do you need in a vegetable? Nutrients right…. The lovely beets have that too…. Vitamin C, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and above all negligible fat and loads of fiber. All these health credentials make beetroot one of the ‘superfood’.

10 Health Benefits of Beetroot

You can BEAT numerous diseases with BEET and stay fit. Listed below are a few of them…..

1. Beat Inflammation with Antioxidant Rich Beet: Beetroot has an important colour pigment called betalain, which not only gives beet its deep red colour but also has powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and fungicidal properties. This in simple terms means that beetroot is a good way to build your body’s defense against various diseases.

2. Beat LDL Cholesterol with Nitrate Rich Beet: The Nitrates present in beet aid in detoxification and helps lower bad cholesterol (LDL) levels. This avoid any blockage in the arteries.

3. Beat Constipation with Fiber Rich Beet: The high fiber content of the beetroot acts as a bulk residue and improves body’s ability to digest food. It helps improve bowel movement and prevents constipation. A cup of chopped beet when added by way of salads or subzis is sure to fulfil your 1/5th requirement of day’s fiber need. You can even try just boiling beet, chopping it and consuming it with a mild sprinkle of salt as a high fiber snack in between your meals.

For complete Health Benefits of Beetroot read this article.

Glycemic Index of Beetroot

Beetroot has a Glycemic Index of 64 which is medium. Glycemic Index are for foods you eat, ranks carbohydrate-containing foods by how quickly they digest and raise your blood sugar or glucose levels. Foods rank from 0 to 50 are low GI, 51 to 69 are medium and 70 to 100 are high. Foods that are high in GI are not suitable for weight loss and diabetics. Foods like Beetroot have a medium GI but their Glycemic Load is only 5. Hence Beets will not raise blood sugar by a lot because the total carbs in it are low. So safe for Diabetics to use.