Carrot Beetroot Stir Fry - Carrot Beetroot Mezhukkupuratti Recipe

This carrot beetroot stir fry or mezhukkupuratti is from my childhood. I loved beetroot even as a child and preferred mezhukkupuratti (a Kerala-style stir-fry of vegetables with no coconut and very minimum spices), beans mezhukkupuratti being an all-time favourite. Amma and her mom made this carrot beetroot combination often and it goes great with sambar or any coconut-based gravy like tomato kuzhambu.

Since both carrots and beets take time to cook, slicing the vegetables thin and and in uniform sizes is key here. This is one of those vegetable side dishes that you can leave on a low flame to cook and go about making the rest of your meal. A simple stir fry with fresh vegetables - very few things come close to this when you are making an easy meal for your family.

CARROT BEETROOT STIR FRY

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of beetroot, sliced into thin squares
• 1 cup of carrot, sliced into thin squares
• 3 shallots or pearl onions
• 2-3 cloves of garlic (adjust depending on size)
• 1/2 tsp of chilli powder
• 2 tbsp of oil
• A few curry leaves (optional)

How to Make Carrot Beetroot Mezhukkupuratti:

1. Slice the vegetables thin and crush the shallots and garlic together in a mortar and pestle or grind coarsely in a small mixer.

2. Heat the oil in a wide pan and add the vegetables and some salt. Let it roast on a low flame, stirring often.

3. It took me around 15 mins for the vegetables to be almost done. At this stage, add the crushed shallots and garlic, chilli powder, and the curry leaves (if using).

4. Continue to stir-fry until the vegetables are cooked soft. Remove and serve hot.

This carrot beetroot stir fry uses no spices beyond the chillies and that's the beauty of its simplicity. Serve with rice and sambar or kuzhambu for a perfect meal.