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Beetroot Thambuli (Spiced buttermilk with beetroot flavor)

This is my first post on Navarathri. I usually get deeply incited with these festive seasons, only because there is a strong relationship between festivals and food. And being a food lover, yes, there is a firm reason for me to be happy. I don’t think anyone can resist eating and putting on a few kilos whilst looking at all those wonderful lunch treats and menus planned for a festival.


My approach to rituals is mostly not an uncompromising one, like how it used to be with our grandparents. But when it comes to offerings (Naivedya), I’ve always felt it brings positive energy when the diety offerings are made with devotion, sans onions and garlic.


My MIL used to plan for festive meals most of the time. This time, she had been away to town, so, I planned for a simple satvik lunch just for two. Among all the offerings that I had made, beetroot thambuli was Vinay’s best-loved. Whilst prepping for it, I was struck by a little amount of conviction as to whether he may like it or not.

Both of us sat down for a quiet festive lunch. After quite some time he exclaimed that he had never tasted such a good thambuli till date and went for a another serving, and that made me happy. I was more happy with fact that, very few ingredients went into this thambuli, it was prepared in about 10-15 minutes and the outcome was a hit. What more can one ask for?

Beetroot Thambuli (Spiced buttermilk with beetroot flavor)

  • Servings: 2-3 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

  • Beetroot thambuli is a spiced form of buttermilk. Additionally it is flavored with beetroot and then seasoned with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing and curry leaves.

Ingredients

  • 3 tbsp – Beetroot – grated
  • 150 ml – Yoghurt
  • 150 ml – Water
  • 1.5 tbsp – Coconut – grated
  • 1/2 tsp – Vegetable Oil – For stir frying beetroot
  • 1 tbsp – Green Chillies – Chopped, you can add more if you need more spice
  • 0.5 to 1 tsp – Table Salt

  • Seasoning
  • 1 tsp – Vegetable Oil
  • 0.5 tsp – Mustard Seeds
  • 0.5 tsp – Cumin Seeds
  • 0.5 tsp – Asafetida (Hing)
  • 5-6 leaves – Curry Leaves


Directions

  • In a small wok, add the beetroot and 1/2 tsp vegetable oil. Let it heat on a medium flame and start stir frying the beetroot with a spoon until the beetroot leaves out a good aroma. Take care not to burn the beetroot. This will generally take 5 minutes.

  • Turn off the heat and let this cool.
  • In a blender add the coconut, green chillies, beetroot, salt and yoghurt and blend the mixture to a fine paste.

  • Add water (150 ml) to this mixture and mix well with a spoon. (Alternatively you can directly use 300ml of ready buttermilk also. Either ways you’ll get the same results.)
  • For the seasoning: In a small wok, heat 1 tsp of oil. On a low flame add the mustard seeds and wait till they stop popping. Add in the asafetida (hing), cumin seeds and curry leaves. Turn off the heat after 5 seconds and immediately put this onto the thambuli. Mix and Serve chilled with rice.
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    1. Pratiba says:

      Thanks for asking this Sir. I too had this confusion. But I found that curd is made by adding lemon, vinegar or an acidic substance to milk and later the milk gets coagulated and the solid is collected to make cheese and paneer. Whereas yoghurt is made by fermenting milk overnight. There is a big difference between the two, but in most of the circumstances people use the terms “yoghurt” and “curd” in the same context.

  1. Your well wisher says:

    you have hit the nail Pratiba. Your photography skills are awesome and the pictures are lovely. I check in not for the recipes but just to see the snaps.. stunning stunning stunning.. In one phrase . “Food for joy” = “Blissful place on earth”

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