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4.8 from 51 votes

Beetroot Rice | Beetroot Pulao

This Beetroot Rice or Beetroot Pulao is a one pot dish that is slightly spicy with the sweetness of beetroot coming through in the spiced rice. Makes for an healthy and tasty lunch or dinner option.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
Servings: 3
Calories: 352 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

Prepping rice
  • 1 cup basmati rice - 200 grams
  • water as required - for soaking rice
Whole spices to be fried
  • 2 tablespoons oil
  • 2 to 3 green cardamoms
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 2 to 3 cloves
  • 5 to 6 black peppercorns
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
Remaining ingredients
  • ⅓ cup chopped onions - 50 to 55 grams or 1 medium-sized
  • 7 to 8 curry leaves or 1 small to medium tej patta (Indian bay leaf)
  • 1 cup finely chopped beetroot - 125 grams or 2 small to medium beets
  • 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or ½ inch ginger + 3 to 4 small to medium garlic cloves
  • 1 to 2 green chilies - slit
  • ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder (or cayenne pepper or paprika)
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
  • 1.5 to 2 cups water or as needed - I added 1.5 cups water
  • salt as required
  • 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves for garnish - cilantro leaves

Instructions

Prepping rice
    Cup of Yum
  1. Rinse basmati rice in water very well. Then soak the rice in enough water for 20 minutes. 
  2. After 20 minutes, drain the water from the rice. Set the rice aside. Instead of basmati rice, you can even use any other fragrant rice or even regular or short grained rice.
Making beetroot rice
  1. Heat oil in a 2 litre pressure cooker. Then add all the whole spices. 
  2. The oil should be hot enough so that the mustard seeds crackle as soon as you add them in the oil. Do keep on a low to medium-low heat, so that the other spices do not get burnt.
  3. Add chopped onions and curry leaves.
  4. Stir and sauté till the onions start to become light golden.
  5. Then add ginger-garlic paste, slit green chilies and ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves. 
  6. Saute for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
  7. Now add finely chopped beetroot. Do chop the beetroot finely. You can also grate beetroots and then add. Stir and sauté for a minute.
  8. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder and coriander powder. Mix and stir well. Add the rice.
  9. Stir gently and saute for a minute.
Cooking beetroot rice
  1. Add 1.5 to 2 cups water. Depending on the type and quality of rice, you can add water. For basmati rice, you can add 1.5 to 1.75 cups of water. I added 1.5 cups water.
  2. Season with salt as required. Stir and mix. Taste the water and it should have a slightly salty taste.
  3. Pressure cook on a medium flame for 2 whistles or for 8 to 9 minutes. You can also cook this pulao in a pan or pot. If cooking in a pan then add the water accordingly. It will take more time to cook in a pot but you can make this recipe in a pot.
  4. When the pressure settles down on its own, remove the lid. Gently fluff the rice. 
  5. Garnish with 2 tablespoons of the chopped coriander leaves. Serve beetroot rice with a side veggie salad or raita. It pairs well with any raita variety like boondi raita or cucumber raita or onion raita.

Notes

  • The recipe can be doubled or tripled.
  • The amount of spices can be altered as per your taste.
  • If you want to add some more vegetables to this recipe, then I suggest adding green peas, potatoes and carrots. In greens, you can add a small amount of fenugreek or spinach leaves.

Nutrition Information

Calories 352kcal (18%) Carbohydrates 58g (19%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 8g Sodium 489mg (20%) Potassium 290mg (8%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 4g (8%) Vitamin A 268IU (5%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.1mg Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.1mg Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 28mg Vitamin B6 0.2mg Vitamin C 53mg (59%) Vitamin E 4mg Vitamin K 7µg Calcium 59mg (6%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 334µg Iron 2mg (11%) Magnesium 37mg Phosphorus 105mg Zinc 1mg

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 3Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 352

% Daily Value*

Calories 352kcal 18%
Carbohydrates 58g 19%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 10g 15%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 8g 40%
Sodium 489mg 20%
Potassium 290mg 6%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 4g 8%
Vitamin A 268IU 5%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 28mg
Vitamin B6 0.2mg
Vitamin C 53mg 59%
Vitamin E 4mg
Vitamin K 7µg
Calcium 59mg 6%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 334µg
Iron 2mg 11%
Magnesium 37mg 9%
Phosphorus 105mg
Zinc 1mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.