Beets with Yogurt and Cumin

This sweet pachadi combines the earthy flavors of beets and cumin in a great winter side dish, a nice Indian variation on our other beet salad. We like to serve this alongside mjeddra for complete nourishment. Try cooking the beets a day ahead to cut down on kitchen time.

4 medium beets
1 cup yogurt
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds

Scrub beets, halve any large ones, and cover with water in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for 40 minutes to an hour, until tender. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them, and chop them into 1-inch cubes.

Heat the butter in a small pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds begin to pop, pour the butter and spices over the beets. Add yogurt and stir. (If you stir very gently, you'll end up with a lovely marbelized sauce. Stir more vigorously for a uniformly pink sauce). Chill before serving.

Paneer with Tomatoes and Ninja Kale

We made this recipe from Mangoes and Curry Leaves several times with moderately tasty results before we read the ingredient list closely. Where we had been throwing in the typical 2 cloves of garlic, it calls for a full 1/2 cup -- and not just one onion, but three! We tried it again with the full dose of garlic and onions and were delighted with the spicy, filling results, not at all like the curried marinara sauce we had ended up with before. We kept tinkering with cooking methods (the original recipe takes all evening to make) and have finally arrived at the best variation yet, one that gives you a full serving of kale, so stealthily slipped in among strong flavors that you'll never know what hit you.

3 cups pureed canned tomatoes (or 2 pounds fresh)
1 pound paneer
canola oil or ghee
1 chopped onion (or go ahead and try three!)
1 full head of garlic, peeled and minced
3 inches of ginger, minced
2 small thai chilis, left whole
6 leaves of dinosaur kale or three leaves of collard greens, sliced into thin ribbons
5 green cardamom pods, smashed
2 cloves
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon of smoked Spanish paprika
Salt and black pepper to taste

Slice the paneer into 1/2 inch rectangles. Arrange the paneer on a well-greased pan, and drizzle some extra oil over the top. Broil for about five minutes, or until the tops of the paneer rectangles look like toasted marshmallows. Flip and repeat on the other side. Set the paneer aside to cool. (I prefer to chop my paneer slices into bite-sized squares once they are cool enough to touch, but you can also leave them whole.)

Heat 1/3 cup of oil or ghee in a large wok over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and ginger and continue frying until the onions and garlic are golden and fragrant. Add the tomatoes and one cup of water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low, and add the kale, paneer and spices. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. You may want to add a little cayenne to boost the spiciness. Serve with cardamom-scented rice or spinach parathas.

Beet Salad with Feta and Mustard Dressing

Salty feta, sweet beets and spicy mustard are a perfect combination for the dead of winter, brightened with some fresh dill. This salad is good by itself or on a bed of salad greens. We used red beets, which are beautiful, but if pink feta creeps you out, golden beets would be delicious too.

6 medium-sized beets
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons spicy mustard
Salt
Pepper
1 lb feta, cubed or crumbled
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill

Scrub beets, halve any large ones, and cover with water in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer, covered, for 40 minutes to an hour, until tender. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, peel them, and chop them into 1-inch cubes.

Mix together olive oil, apple cider vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour mixture over the beets, stir well to combine, and top with feta and dill. Serve slightly warm, room temperature, or chilled, either by itself or on top of a bed of salad greens.