Recently I tried ordering produce from imperfectproduce. They are creating a marketplace for produce that goes to waste as it does not look perfect to be in a supermarket, but is as nutritious and delicious. What a great idea! I wanted to support it, and subscribed to their service. I got my first box of produce with lots of beets, which are awesome in summer. So here is the recipe for beets with an Indian twist – Beet Pulao or Beet Rice prepared in the pressure cooker. Growing up in India, I have always known beetroot. However, as I was browsing recipes, I saw most of them just mentioned beet. I wondered if it is a short version until I checked wikipedia (the most trusted source ;-). I found that “The beetroot is the taproot portion of the beet plant, usually known in North America as the beet, also table beet, garden beet, red beet, or golden beet.”. So it is not just a nickname; it is really the name and hence the name of this recipe now “Beet Rice”. You will also love my other pulao variations – Peas Pulao, Vegetable Pulao, Chana Dal Pulao, and Dalia Pulao.
Beetroot Nutrition
I always like to write about the nutrition of the main ingredients used in the recipe. So here is a bit about Beets.
“Beet is of exceptional nutritional value – low in fat, full of vitamins, minerals, iron, and packed with powerful antioxidants – a health-food titan“.
They are also an excellent source of folic acid and a very good source of fiber, manganese and potassium. Although I don’t use the beet greens in this recipe, they are also very nutritious and can be cooked up and enjoyed in the same way as spinach.
If you like beets, learn how to steam beets in the pressure cooker or try these air fryer beets if you like them crispy. You can also check out this collection of 10 Beetroot Recipes.
Ready to use up some of the beets in this nutritious rice? Not just nutritious, this pulao is also very easy to prepare in our very loved Instant Pot. So, let’s get going!
How to make Beetroot Rice?
This is a fairly easy preparation for the beet rice.
The first step is to heat the oil and sauté the whole spices. I like to throw in some whole spices for the aroma they add to the dish, but frankly, they are optional. Then add in the onions, ginger, and garlic paste, and sauté for a few minutes. Add the chopped beets and any other veggies you want to add. I added green peas, as that is what I had at hand. Other possible options to add are potatoes, bell peppers, carrots and edmame. Now you are ready to add the rice and water, and cook the rice on manual or pressure cook mode for 4 minutes at high pressure. That is it for the active time to prepare this rice! When the instant pot beeps, do a 10-minute natural pressure release. This means letting the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then releasing the pressure manually.
Beetroot Rice is ready. Mix in the lemon juice and fluff the rice. If you like, you can garnish with cilantro and/or cashews. Enjoy it with raita or homemade yogurt.
Stovetop Method
Follow the same steps in a large pot on a medium-high flame. Add the rinsed rice and water to the pot. For the stovetop method, increase the amount of water to 2 cups for each cup of rice. Bring to a boil, then simmer, cover, and cook on low heat until the rice is cooked and all the water is absorbed. (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, cook for 1 whistle) Fluff the rice with a fork to check if it is well cooked. I love the colors in this beet rice. Since I started preparing this dish 2 weeks ago, I have already made it 4 times and served it to friends, who all loved it. Who wouldn’t?? 🙂 Try this Beet Rice and let me know how you like it. If you are looking for more rice recipes, check out:
Lemon Rice Chicken Biryani Khichdi Turmeric Yellow Rice How to cook Calrose Rice? Tomato Rice
