Beet greens are versatile like spinach, it can be used in so many different ways. Yesterday I tried it in the traditional "Mor Kootu" recipe. "Mor" is the Tamil word for Buttermilk and Kootu or Koottu refers to a dish with stew-like consistency. Koottu can either be prepared with a combination of vegetables and lentils (like toor daal, channa daal or moong dasl) or without any lentils. This Mor Kootu falls in the latter category.
Beet greens are cooked well and mixed together with a spicy yogurt/curd sauce. It is served as an accompaniment for rice and is also a very good side dish for Adai. Mor Kootu is generally prepared using any greens, chow chow (chayote squash), green cabbage.
Recipe
Spicy Beet Greens Yogurt Sauce (Mor Kootu) Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Bunch Beet Greens (The One Which I Got Had 3 Big Beets With Lot Of Greens)
- 1.5 To 2 Cups Yogurt (Depending On The Consistency You Want)
- 4 Green Chillies
- 2 Tablespoons Chickpea Flour/Besan
- 1.5 Teaspoons Cumin
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ¼ Cup Coconut Grated
- As Per Taste Salt
For Tempering:
- 2 Teaspoons Coconut Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 5 Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Finely chop the beet greens, both the leaves as well as the stems. Place it in a big bowl and fill it with water and let it stand for at least 5 minutes. By doing this any dirt/sand in the greens would settle down in the bottom of the vessel. Now remove the greens and rinse it in cold water again.
- I pressure cooked the beet leaves and beet stems together. Add water just enough to cover the greens and little salt too. I left it for 2 whistles.
- Now grind together the coconut, cumin, chillies, besan. Add little water if required.
- Mix this mixture with the yogurt and add enough water. This should be in the consistency of pancake batter or even thinner.
- In a saucepan add the cooked greens, salt and yogurt sauce. Remove the pan from the stove after the first boil.
- Add coconut oil in a small frying pan. Once it heats add mustard seeds and curry leaves. Once it splutters pour this in the kootu.
My Notes
- The greens which I got this time had very thick stems. So I did remove some fibrous strands while chopping it. Usually I pressure cook beet greens and stems for 1 whistle only, but this time I left it for 2 whistles for the same reason.
I'm submitting this to Sunshine Mom's FIC - Green event.
Dee says
Had some left over beet greens from thanksgiving meal, and after cooking all week for thanksgiving really needed something quick and easy to cook....just did not want to slaving the kitchen anymore . This wonderful, delicious and quick recipe will now become my goto anytime I have beet greens or another other greens. Thank you for this wonderful recipe
Madhuram says
Thank you very much for trying the recipe and leaving your feedback, Dee.
Deepa says
Hi,
Tried this beet greens mor kootu..it was delicious..loved it with rice..I've put a picture in my blog
Deepa
Madhuram says
Thanks for trying the recipe Deepa.
sai says
I also add 2 spoons of soaked tuar daal when grinding for making moor kootu. i used to discard the beet greens sometimes. sometimes i make like regular keerai masiyal. thanks for a new recipe with beet greens.
I have another recipe for kootu and usili also, if you haven't noticed it already.
Sophie says
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Thanks!
sunshinemom says
All these days I used to discard the beet greens!! Thanks for the recipe and sending it to FIC - next time I will use the greens for kootu or molagootal!
Divya says
Madhuram, it (WWPF) should be available in any normal grocery store in the flour section, if not try the Whole foods market. They surely have it, at least in the bulk section.
Cham says
I saw this moor kootu in Tamil magazine 🙂 Looks different and delicous too 😉
Divya says
That looks so nutritous! now, I got to find the beet greens!
So, how exactly do they taste? Like regular Keerai?
I get beets with the greens in the regular grocery store. Usually it's organic. Also beet greens tastes very much like spinach.
sangeeth says
wow! lovely girl...u come with so many varieties...luv it
Uma says
Ooh, this is a very healthy kootu! So tempting picture. 🙂
Anjali Damerla says
Madhuram,
My son is allergic to besan. What would be a good substitute for besan flour? Or,I guess, I could do this with lentils. Also, which coconut oil did you use?
Anjali, besan is not a must in this recipe. It's used to just thicken the consistency of the kootu. You can omit it or use rice flour instead. I use the Parachute brand coconut oil.