Beetroot Rice Recipe South Indian Style
Beetroot Podi Annam is a rice dish that earns its colour honestly — no boiling beetroot, no extra masala, no fuss. A quick tadka, hot annam, and a generous spoonful of Earthy Beetroot Podi is all it takes. The roasted senaga pappu, kobbari, and pallilu in the podi do the seasoning work entirely, while the dehydrated beetroot deepens the rice to a warm, dusky rose with a subtle sweetness that plain beetroot rice simply cannot match.
Prep: 5 min | Cook: 10 min | Serves: 2 | Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 2 heaped tsp Earthy Beetroot Podi
- 2 cups cooked rice (annam), hot
- 1.5 tsp ghee (neyyi)
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds (aavalu)
- 6-8 curry leaves (karivepaku)
- 1 dried red chilli
- salt to taste
Method
- Heat ghee in a small kadai over medium flame until it shimmers.
- Add the mustard seeds and wait — when they begin to splutter and pop, add the dried red chilli and curry leaves. The leaves will crisp up in a few seconds and fill the kitchen with a familiar, toasty aroma.
- Turn the flame to low. Add the Earthy Beetroot Podi and stir for 20 to 30 seconds — it will darken slightly and smell of roasted dal and coconut. Do not let it sit too long or it will catch.
- Add the hot annam to the kadai and mix from the bottom up, turning the rice gently until every grain is coated in the deep rose-hued podi. The colour will deepen as you mix.
- Taste for salt, adjust, and serve hot — a small bowl of perugu on the side cuts through the warmth beautifully.
✓ High Protein | ✓ High Fibre | ✓ Rich in Iron | ✓ Rich in Potassium