South Indian food to keep the cold out

After visiting Cocum, the aforementioned Keralan restaurant in Hampton Court, as well as Ganapati, an excellent south Indian restaurant in Peckham Rye (more on this in due course, probably), I've been inspired to go all south Indian myself.

I bought some beetroot at the farmers' market, and while trying to think what I could do with five beetroot, my thoughts turned to the lovely beetroot thoran I had at Cocum. So I knocked up a version of that, with some vaguely Sri Lankan lentil curry. Served with rice and cucumber raita, it was a pleasingly colourful and delicious meal.

I love the way a thoran takes a rather pedestrian vegetable like beetroot (or cabbage, which can used instead, shredded fine) and makes it light, aromatic and delicious.

This was actually the first time I have cooked with fresh curry leaves. I've used the dried leaves before and found them a bit lacking. The fresh leaves impart a gentle aroma which I associate with south Indian and Sri Lankan food.

A note on mustard seeds: the main types are black or yellow/white. I had the yellow kind, but black are much more commonly used in Indian cooking, and usually have a stronger flavour. Still, the dish didn't seem to suffer too much from using the wrong sort.

The recipes should serve four, at least, depending on what else you have with them.

Beetroot thoran

4 medium beetroot, grated
1 large onion, thinly sliced or chopped
1-2 chillies, to taste, finely chopped
Dessicated coconut - 2-3tbsp
1 tsp vegetable oil
2 tsp mustard seeds
About 12 curry leaves, roughly chopped
1 tsp turmeric
Chilli powder, to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan or frying pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they start to pop, add the onion. Cook for 3 minutes or until starting to brown, then add the beetroot, turmeric and curry leaves. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can add a splash of water if it seems to be sticking. Taste and add some chilli powder if you want more spice.

Sri Lankan lentil dahl

300g red lentils or yellow split peas
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 cinnamon stick, broken up a bit
5 cardamom pods, crushed
2 tsp mustard seeds
1-2 chillies, finely chopped
1 tsp ground coriander (or whole coriander, crushed in a pestle and mortar, is even better)
10 curry leaves, roughly chopped
1 tsp vegetable oil
4-5 tomatoes (optional)

Fry the onion in the oil, adding the garlic after three minutes. Add the mustard seeds, chillies and spices and cook for two more minutes.
Add the lentils or split peas and enough water to more than cover. Boil until soft, making sure it does not dry out too much. If using tomatoes, add them just before the end of cooking time.