Beet Greens Thoran

My friend, S used to make this thoran very regularly. After a long time, I found fresh beet greens at Whole Foods. I immediately thought of making this delicious thoran.

Beet greens Thoran
Beet Greens Stir Fry
Ingredients

• 1 bunch beet greens with stems (the greens come with the beet roots)
• salt to taste

Tempering

• 2 tsp oil (or coconut oil for an authentic taste)
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp urad daal
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 -2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 shallots, minced
• 2 dry red chilies, halved

Garnish

• Fresh coconut (per taste)

Method
1. Soak beet greens in water to remove all the dirt and impurities. Rinse in several changes of water.
2. Roughly chop the greens. Chop the stems by removing threads.
3. Heat oil of you choice in a wok or saucepan.
4. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, urad daal. As daal turns reddish, add garlic cloves, curry leaves, shallot, red chilies. Saute till shallot is soft.
5. Now add beet greens and stems. Stir fry. Cover and let it cook till the leaves are wilted and stems are cooked.
6. Add salt to taste and fresh coconut.

Note -
1. Always add salt after greens are cooked because initially when you add the greens they appear a lot in size. But after getting cooked, they are wilted. So adjust salt accordingly.
2. If you do not have shallot, onion can be used in desired proportion.
3. Note that since everything looks red in this stir fry, pay attention while eating. The red chilies may look like stems of beet. :-D