Beetroot curry with pickled beets and charred shallots

Ingredients

For the pickled beetroot

• 500 g baby target beets, thinly sliced with a mandolin
• 2 cups (500 ml) malt vinegar
• 200 g honey
• 50 g salt

For the charred onions

• 2 Spanish onions, cut into wedges
• 300 ml red wine vinegar

For the beetroot curry

• 350 g small beetroots, trimmed, stems reserved
• 50 g ghee
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 small green chillies, finely chopped
• 3 cm piece pandanus leaf
• 1 sprig curry leaves, leaves picked
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 Ceylon cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 3 tsp white vinegar
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 200 ml coconut milk

To serve

• Feta cheese
• Beetroot leaves
• Steamed jasmine rice

Marinating time: overnight.

Instructions

1. To make the pickled beetroot, combine malt vinegar, honey and salt in a medium saucepan and cook until the honey dissolves (do not boil). Allow to cool. Pack sliced beets into a mason jar and pour over the pickling liquid. Place the lid on the jar. Allow the beets to pickle for at least a few hours, ideally for 1-2 days, stored in refrigerator. (You could also use a vacuum sealer - place beets in bags, seal and allow to pickle).
2. To make the charred onions, marinate the onions in red wine vinegar overnight. When ready to serve, pat dry and blow-torch until slightly blackened.
3. To made the beetroot curry, cut the beets and stems (if using), into 1 cm pieces.
4. Heat the ghee in a large, heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and green chilli and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until softened. Stir through the pandanus leaf, curry leaves and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until fragrant.
5. Add the remaining ingredients (except the ingredients to serve), cover and simmer over very low heat, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes, or until the beetroot is tender. Season to taste, then remove from the heat.
6. Spoon the beetroot curry into a large serving bowl. Top with crumbled feta cheese, charred onions, pickled beets and a few beetroot leaves. Serve with jasmine rice on the side.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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