Sunday, December 4, 2011

Sri Lankan Beetroot Curry and an Awesome Cookbook Giveaway

Remember a few weeks ago I promised you a giveaway of my favorite new cookbook, Skiz Fernando's Rice & Curry: Sri Lankan Home Cooking? Well, here it is! I knew this book was something special the second I cracked it open, and as it turns I'm not the only one: In the time since I set up this little giveaway, the book has been named by the New York Times as a notable cookbook of 2011.  

The author has kindly given me permission to share a recipe with you to give you a little taste of what you'll find in the book. If you've never had Sri Lankan food, you'll notice that while it does share certain ingredients and flavor profiles with Indian and South Asian cuisines, it's definitely its own thing. Plus, many of the dishes in the book are unique to Fernando's family and you won't find them done exactly the same way anywhere else.

I went crazy and made a ton of dishes from the book, and they were all so good I had a hard time choosing what to post. I could have shared this cauliflower curry:

Or this spicy potato dish:

Then again, this goat curry, spiked with roasted Jaffna curry powder, was incredible:

Ultimately, though, I chose to share this beetroot curry because it is unlike any beet dish I have ever had in my life. If you hate beets, you just might love this. And if you love beets, well, you will go crazy for it.

Beetroot Curry
reprinted with permission from Rice & Curry, by Skiz Fernando

Ingredients 
1 pound (454 grams) beetroots
2 tablespoons oil
1 onion, sliced
1 spring green curry leaves 
2 to 3 green chilies, sliced
3 teaspoons vinegar
1 tablespoon raw curry powder*
1 to 2 teaspoons Cayenne pepper powder
1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk
salt to taste

Peel beets and cut into thin strips about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. Heat oil in pan. Fry onions, curry leaves, and green chilies until onions are translucent. Add beets, vinegar, curry powder, and cayenne. Mix well. Add coconut milk and salt and simmer until beets are tender (about 20 to 30 minutes).

Raw Curry Powder: 
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
3 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
Grind ingredients in a coffee grinder and store in a glass jar in the fridge.

The sweet coconut milk and curry leaves and aromatic curry powder combines with the earthy sweetness of the beets to make an unforgettable, hearty, and complex dish.

And now ... on to that giveaway I promised you. I will send one lucky reader a copy of Rice & Curry:

Here's what to do to enter:

- Leave a comment demonstrating that you've read the post and not just looked at the pretty pictures
- Tweet the giveaway, and come back and tell me that you did
- Follow Tasty Trix, and tell me that you did. Or, if you already follow me, remind me!

There you go - three chances to win this fabulous book. It would make a great prezzie for a food loving friend, but if I were you, I'd keep it for myself! It's open to anyone, anywhere. (You hear that, Foodiva?)

The deadline is Tuesday, December 13, and I'll announce the winner - who will be chosen via Random.org -  on Wednesday the 14th. 

Good luck!





38 comments:

  1. Ooh! Ooh! Pick me! :-) Beets and curry are two things I never thought of in the same context before. Interesting!

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  2. I am a beet lover, plus I'm always looking for uses for the curry leaves I have in the freezer...so I definitely think one's a must-try! Sounds like a tasty cookbook =)

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  3. great curry and love Shri Lankan food the author must have loved this post

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  4. The beet curry does sound very unique, awesome flavors with the raw curry powder mix.

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  5. There's some and much more similarities with our food, esp the Indian cuisine but sure that beet curry is new to me though we normally stir fried it with some spices.

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  6. Oh, I love anything involving beets and this dish looks so different from anything I've tried. Wish my family was more interested in curries...I may just have to make my own personal batch :)

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  7. very nice recipe, pretty pictures... have fun with the giveaway and have a great week

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  8. Trying different cuisines is always fun and I think that curry dishes are by far the most comforting. Due to my huge cookbook library I will have to opt out of the giveaway though-good luck to all, I am sure the winner will definitely enjoy it.

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  9. What a great sounding combo...beets in curry. I love the color!

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  10. I will curry favor with you and enter the giveaway! I love beets so I know I would love this recipe...if I could get my hands on green curry leaves. Goat, however, is outside my husband's comfort zone so he will have to just eat a brownie.

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  11. I would follow you to the ends of the earth for a bite of your beet curry! We're so lucky you've shared this recipe but I would love a copy of this wonderful cookbook;-)

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  12. Very cool book...did ya know I like ethnic food hihi. And nice choice of recipe which I will bookmark. Interesting about making the Raw Curry Powder.

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  13. That is nice the author has given you permission to share a recipe with us from the cookbook. Great giveaway!

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  14. would love to enter this giveaway Trix deliciously looking curries

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  15. So beautiful and tasty dish! Great giveaway too...

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  16. I am such a beet lover, i cant wait to try this recipe!

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  17. tweeted

    https://twitter.com/#!/erunuevo/status/143994552339017729

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  18. I didn't know what Jaffna curry was so I looked and found your reference to it on your post South Asian Style Braised Lamb Curry, and found it online too. I think I would love this! Many thanks!

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  19. With so many recipes, no wonder you had trouble choosing which one to posts. That goat looks amazing :) I'm glad you settled on the beet curry though, fascinating recipe!

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  20. Intrigued by this beetroot curry! The flavor must have been tantalizing with the raw curry. Great giveway - thanks for sharing this amazing array of dishes from the book :)

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  21. I always love curry (in fact I just had Japanese curry last night) but never thought of cooking beetroot with curry. I'm crazy about beet...but mostly I eat with salad. This is such a nice idea for me. Thank you for sharing the recipe!

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  22. I lurvvvve beets! What is roasted Jaffna curry powder? Is it the recipe you gave for the curry powder? Love this post and would love to win this book.

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  23. They all do look great, but I agree about the beetroot, what an unexpected combination of flavors...love it!

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  24. I hear you, Trix, and I'm definitely entering! Your delicious looking curries here really make me want to run out to my tree outside and pick a bunch of curry leaves. Your raw curry powder sounds wonderful, I have all the spices so it's a must-try :). I also love your curry leaf rice, that's something I never thought of doing!

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  25. Which means that I already follow you on Twitter!

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  26. And I think I'm a follower on here too, though I'm not too sure as I can't see your followers list!

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  27. I would love to win this, I just recently discovered that I love Indian food, sounds like this has similarities. The curry powder sounds like it will be good.

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  28. I tweeted about giveaway. Got interrupted by phone while writing previous post & forgot to mention how much my husband & I love beets. Can't wait to try beet root recipe.

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  29. I am following Tasty Trix

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  30. I'm not a big fan of beets but the beet curry, oh it looks so tempting

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  31. Still don't tweet but love this cookbook! I do not know the cuisine of Sri Lanka so this is a great find and I LOVE beets and little selections of food... like many perfumes for your senses... great recipes!

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