Beetroot and Sabudana Kheer (Beetroot Pudding with Tapioca Pearls)
I’d been wanting to make something pink for breast cancer awareness month. I also wanted to make something sweet for Dussehra. Beetroot Kheer seemed like the answer to both. I followed the same recipe I used for my carrot kheer. The sabudana was an afterthought. I hadn’t originally intended to add it. But the beets contained a lot more water and the kheer did not reduce down to the thickness I would have liked it to. So, I soaked and boiled some tapioca pearls and stirred them in. And that turned out to be a good thing.
The pistachios and pomegranate are optional, but recommended. They provide a nice textural contrast and burst of freshness in every creamy spoonful. I particularly love how the tapioca pearls take on the deep pink of the beetroot to mimic the jewel-like quality of the pomegranate arils (I’m a sucker for pink and they are just so pretty).
When I told the teen what was for dessert, I was greeted with a glare. “Why couldn’t you just make normal kheer?” he grumbled.
“Normal is overrated,” I smiled, as I brought it to the table. Two pairs of eyes peered suspiciously into their bowls.
“It looks like Pepto Bismol,” the hubby chimed in.
“If you don’t want to eat it, I can give you some yogurt with honey instead,” I offered, knowing full well what would follow. I watched with smug satisfaction as they proceeded to wipe their bowls clean and reached for seconds. What’s that they say? Yep, the proof is in the pudding alright.
Recipe
Beetroot and Sabudana Kheer
(Makes 6 servings)
Ingredients
3/4 cup sabudana (tapioca pearls)
Filtered water for soaking and boiling
1/2 cup hot water
Powdered jaggery (or any sweetener of your choice) to taste
300 gms beetroot, steamed (steaming can be done ahead of time)
2 cups almond milk (or any milk of your choice)
1/2 cup cashew bits
1/2 tsp ground cardamom (add more or less to your liking)
A generous pinch of saffron
2 tsp rose water (optional)
1/4 cup pomegranate arils (optional)
1 tbsp crushed pistachios
Method
Rinse the sabudana well and soak in two cups of water for an hour.
Dissolve the powdered jaggery in 1/2 cup of hot water, strain and set the syrup aside.
Peel and grate the cooked beetroot, then blend along with the almond milk and cashews until completely smooth.
Transfer the mixture to a nonstick pan and cook over medium heat until it comes to a gentle boil.
Lower the heat, mix in the jaggery syrup, cardamom and saffron. Make sure NOT to boil the kheer after adding the jaggery because this may cause the milk to split. Simmer for a couple of minutes, then turn off the heat and set aside.
Drain the sabudana and transfer it to a saucepan. Add 3 cups of filtered water and boil until the pearls turn soft and transparent.
Take off the heat. Drain and add the cooked sabudana to the beetroot kheer. Add the rose water if using and mix well.
Chill the kheer for a few hours. Before serving, stir in the pomegranate arils, garnish with crushed pistachios and enjoy.
