Journalism of Courage
Once shunned as a common and tedious vegetable,beetroot is gaining popularity at gourmet restaurants thanks to chefs who bring out its versatility
By no stretch of the imagination is beetroot among Chef Vineet Bhatias favourite vegetables. Yet,the twice-Michelin starred chef loves working with it at his restaurants,Rasoi in London and Ziya at The Oberoi in Mumbai. On a recent visit to city,the 45-year-old charmed guests with a creamy beetroot dip that added a touch of sweetness to the grilled prawns it was served with. It didnt stop there. He also served a light beetroot soup with Indian caviar. While the vegetable did take center stage on his menu then,save for the dip,Bhatia is hesitant to add more variations of beetroot dishes in India. Beetroot is underrated here because peoples mindsets are still closed in that regard, he says. In Europe,people are more open to experimenting. With its vibrant colour and a flavour that blends well with anything from chicken tikka and coconut upma to rabdi and kulfi,it is quite a hit abroad.
In Pune,beetroot has been a firm favourite as the nutritious burst of colour of a meal plate. Usually cooked as a spartan side dish with a mustard seed and/or desiccated coconut flourish,it also mixes well into gravy-ed mixed vegetables. But the gourmet experiments with the root have been surprisingly limited. Praful Chandawarkar of Malaka Spice in Koregaon Park is a personal fan of the root when it comes to home-cooked food,but admits to haven’t ever considered it for the eatery. “I have no idea why,” he laughs. “We have tried flowers and other roots,but not beetroot.”
At The Table in Colaba though,owner Gauri Devidayal made an extra effort to market the beetroot salad and risotto to her customers. Right from the tastings to when we opened up,people were averse to eating anything with beets in it, she says. I encouraged guests to try these dishes and offered to knock them off their bill if they didnt like it. Today,the beetroot salad is in our top three signature dishes.
Afsha Khan (With inputs by Shruti Nambiar)
