Beetroot Yoghurt Dip | Raitha

A simple no-cook beet yoghurt dip using grated raw beetroot flavoured with onion, cumin and ginger that balance the sweetness of raw beets and make you reach for more.

My Mom will be super surprised if she sees this post. Do you know why? because as a kid, Beetroot was one vegetable I never preferred to eat. On the days when she made beetroot poriyal (stir fry), she had to make something else for me. She is such a darling who never could be strict and I was this stubborn kid who took the advantage. My sister, on the other hand, loves beetroot and she has her way of eating it. As we grew up in Coimbatore, lunch ends with a little curd rice no matter what season - a typical Tamil tradition. 😁We need to curd every single day. So she mixes rice, curd and then the beetroot poriyal and makes it look pretty and even tries to coax me into eating it. But that was the very thing that put me off.😄

But life changes upside down when you live in a hostel and there is no choice when you are served Beetroot and you are starving. 😒 Have you been through such a phase? That is when I learnt to appreciate food and embrace them for its goodness. As I had enough share of beetroot from the paying guest I stayed with, I never wanted to cook them when I lived alone. But yeah, when mom makes I never complained again!

I cannot pinpoint the moment I started to cook beetroot but I am sure it was sometime during my first trip to Yanbu back in 2014. I started to cook first with vegetables I was familiar with, as there were so many others that were new to me. Even now most of the Indian vegetables that I grew up eating are rarely available here in Yanbu and when it is; they are not fresh and are exorbitantly priced. More than anything, I love to work with Beetroot for the lovely stains it leaves on my hands. I am sure most of you won't agree with me on this, but I love it and wish it stays for longer. It reminds me of "altha" that we used to apply as part of the classical dance performance. I am no dancer et al but have had my share of dance classes so got my basics! 😉

F likes beet thoran/poriyal/stir fry, which I still don't prefer, so I tried my sister's way and made Beetroot Pulav and it was a hit! Then this Beetroot raitha/yoghurt dip was born as a part of my side dish for Parathas! (don't laugh). It can get a bit boring to keep serving white yoghurt, some colour will at least camouflage the absence of curries. 😂

This Beet yoghurt dip recipe is super simple because I have used grated raw beetroot so there is no cooking involved! Not many eat raw but I suggest you give this a try and you will not regret it. There are enough and more reliable sources on the internet that explain why raw beetroot is better than cooked. The cumin and ginger balance the sweetness of raw beets and make it so yummy! You can easily double or triple this recipe. Yields a bowl or a little less than a cup.