Beetroot Poriyal

1. Wash the beetroot and peel the outer skin of the beetroot using a peeler. Then chop it into small equal-sized pieces. Alternatively, if you like you can grate beetroot if you prefer (for video shoot, cut into pieces)
2. Heat oil in a pan on medium-high heat Add mustard seeds, split urad dal, and fry till the dal turns golden brown color and mustard seeds splutter. Add hing, green chili, and curry leaves and saute for 30 seconds.
3. Then add diced beetroot, salt, and water. Give it a stir. Cover it with a lid and allow it to cook completely. Check the beets, and if the beetroot is still not cooked, sprinkle some more water.
4. Once the beetroot is cooked completely (how long did this take?) and the water is dried, add grated coconut and mix well. Turn off the heat.
5. Serve beetroot poriyal as a side with rice or roti.

Instant Pot Method

1. Set your Instant Pot to “saute” and heat the oil. Then add mustard seeds and split urad dal. Fry until the dal turns light golden brown and mustard seeds begin to splutter. Toss in a pinch of hing, green chili, and curry leaves. Saute for 30 seconds, allowing the curry leaves to release their fragrance.
2. Add the chopped beetroot, salt, and water to the pan. Stir well to coat the beetroot evenly. Cancel the “saute” mode, seal your Instant Pot with the lid, and cook on high pressure for 1 minute. Once the Instant Pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally (NPR) for a few minutes. Then, you can carefully release any remaining pressure manually. 
3. Add the grated coconut and give it a stir. If there’s extra liquid in the pot, switch back to “saute” mode and simmer for 2-3 minutes to dry it. That’s it! Your delicious Beetroot Poriyal is ready to enjoy.