Beet Salad with Cumin and Cilantro
Legos are popular in our house right now. Poet and Flower love them. Legos allow kids to make whatever they like; their imagination is the limit. With that, there are never enough legos to build with, and the kids are always building! This week I broke down and bought a Frozen themed Lego set.
What are Lego sets? They are kits with Legos where you build a specific structure - a car, a spaceship, or in our case, a Frozen gift box. Well, G would argue that these kits destroy kids' creativity. He maintains that the great thing about Legos is its infiniteness. Lego sets allow kids to build something defined, and technically you can only make one thing. On the flip side, lego sets can teach little guys patience, how to follow directions, and the satisfaction of having built something tangible. By the way, she does love her Frozen gift box.
So, in the same way, one can argue that recipes are similar. My mom cooked with recipes; she would follow them to the letter. She loved to follow the directions and make a dish that would come out as the author intended. G's mom is the opposite; recipes are not always for her. Her food is creative and wonderful, but sometimes if you want to eat it again, she may not remember how she made it.
So how do I cook? I think perhaps a little bit of both. I love following a recipe and the satisfaction that comes from making something that tastes as delicious as the pictures. Sometimes it is also fun to play around with the ingredients to create something new and exciting. And it's ok if trying something new doesn't work because epic fails are also helpful. Both ways are satisfying in their own ways.
A great recipe that I've been making this summer is beet salad with cumin and cilantro that G's mother introduced me to. I have a recipe that I initially followed. But it's also a great recipe to jump off from - lots of great variations that are delicious. It's a great recipe to play around with the ingredients.
Beets are a great root vegetable. I love roasted beets in the winter. They can also be boiled or served raw. Here, fresh beets are grated and made into a light summer salad. Grated carrots add a nice color contrast. You want to add these in at the end as they quickly turn red from all the beet juice. I've tweaked it and added lemon juice for some acidity. I also like adding some herbs, whatever you have on hand can work, I've used cilantro. But you can also use mint or basil, and both would be delicious. It comes together quickly and makes a great accompaniment to dinner. A quick bhagar, or temper, with cumin seeds, adds just a little bit of spice. It's earthy and refreshing on a hot summer evening.
So have fun with this recipe! That's what it's all about.
Beet Salad with Cumin and Cilantro
This is a wonderfully versatile salad. I love raw beets; they are crunchy and sweet at the same time. Carrots add a lovely color contrast. I've used cilantro here, but you can use almost any herb you have on hand. Mint or basil would be great additions as well. A quick bhagar or temper of cumin adds a touch of spice. And don't forget the lemon juice.
Serves 4
- 1 medium beet (grated)
- 1 medium carrot (grated)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 cup or small bunch cilantro roughly chopped
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- In a medium bowl, mix the beets with the cilantro, salt and lemon juice.
- Meanwhile, make the bhagar in a small saute pan. Heat the oil until shimmering, add in cumin. Saute for 30 seconds to a minute until fragrant and they begin to sputter.
- Quickly add the bhagar to the salad and toss. This may sizzle a little so stand back. Toss in the carrots and serve.