The ‘beet’ as it is popularly known is the root of the beet plant, often called Beetroot. It is associated with a luminous pink or crimson stain and is known for its earthy tase. It is a versatile vegetable and has many lesser known varieties available in varying shades of red, orange & yellow.
How to choose Beets :
- Look for smooth, hard, round beets.
- The surface should be unbruised and free of cuts.
- Avoid beets with soft, moist spots or shriveled, flabby skin.
- The taproot, which extends from the bulbous part of the beet, should be slender.
- When choosing your beets, pick equal-sized ones so that they will cook evenly.
- If the leaves are attached, they should be small, crisp, and dark green.
- If the beets have their leaves removed, be sure that at least a 1/2 inch of the stems and 2 inches of the taproot remain, or the color will bleed from the beets as they cook.
How to store Beets :
- Beets can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
- To reduce moisture loss from beet roots, cut off the beet greens before storing.
- Leave at least an inch of the stem attached. Do not wash beets before storing.
- Baby beets stay fresh best with their greens intact, so don’t remove the greens from tiny beets.
How to prepare Beets :
It can color any dish, hence often paired with fish for its vibrant color. Beets can be used in :
- chutney
- coleslaw
- detox drink
- dehydrated dish
- dessert/halwa/sweet dish
- dip
- hummus
- puree
- pickles
- smoked dish
- juice/ health drink
- salad
- stir -fry/ poriyal
- sorbet
- soups
Some of the links to my published Beetroot recipes are below for your interest :
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/beetroot-how-to-choose-store-prepare/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/beetroot-juice-detox-juice/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/beetroot-halwa-dessert/
For more tips on ‘How to Choose, Store & Prepare’ Seasonal Produce, check out the links below to my blog posts about them, then you will never have to wonder if you picked the right veggies for the week’s cooking .
Here goes …….
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/how-to-choose-store-prepare-cabbage/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/watermelon/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/how-to-choose-store-prepare-cauliflower/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/how-to-choose-store-prepare-bananas/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/how-to-choose-store-prepare-cucumber/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/beetroot-how-to-choose-store-prepare/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/how-to-choose-store-prepare-carrots/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/how-to-choose-and-store-radish/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/how-to-choose-store-prepare-spinach/
- https://stirringmyspicysoul.com/how-to-choose-and-store-your-strawberries/