An ode to a versatile, perennial vegetable and a great source of Vitamin A.

This dish is easy to whip up and is usually eaten as an accompaniment or even by itself in my home.

Category : Indian dish

INGREDIENTS

Carrot : 2 grated
Green chillies : 2-3 (to taste) sliced
Blackgram (urad) dal : 1tbsp
Curry leaves, finely diced
Coriander leaves, Finley diced
Mustard seeds for seasoning : 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida : a dash
Oil : 1 tsp for seasoning
Curd (or vegan substitute) : as needed

METHOD

Sputter mustard seeds in hot oil, then add dal, chillies, asafoetida, curry leaves and coriander.
When the dal turns golden, turn off the heat and then add carrot, salt and curd and mix well and serve as a side dish.
It is good to make this fresh, as the dal will be crunchy.

Preparation time : 10-15 min

Additional INFORMATION

Vegan Friendly : Yes (if curd is substituted with vegan ‘curd’)

CALORIE INFORMATION

This a low calorie dish using minimal fat/oil. 1 katori equals 104 Cal

Nutritional Value

Carrots are about 10% carbs, contain starch, fibre, and simple sugars. They are extremely low in fat and protein.
Carrots are an excellent source of vitamin A in the form of beta carotene. They are also a good source of several B vitamins, as well as vitamin K and potassium.

100 g or 2 medium carrots has : Calories: 41, Water: 88%, Protein: 0.9 grams, Carbs: 9.6 grams, Sugar: 4.7 grams, Fiber: 2.8 grams and Fat: 0.2 grams

HEALTH BENEFITS

Carrots are known to reduce night blindness, risk of cancer and heart disease, improve eye health and effective in weight loss

ORIGIN

Carrot (Daucus carota, subsp sativus) belongs to Apiaceae family and is related to parsley, cilantro, coriander, fennel, anise, dill and cumin. It probably originated in Persia, and spread to Europe and SW Asia.

UPCYCLE TIPS

If raita is left over, you could mix it in to rice/ragi roti dough or even dosa/idli batter (while grinding or while preparing)

Water Foot print (is litres of water needed to produce the food)

Carrot : 195 L/Kg

DID YOU KNOW ?

Carrot leaves and seeds are edible too. In fact earlier, they were cultivated for their aromatic leaves and seeds rather than their roots.
There are claims that wild carrots were purple coloured and the Dutch growers created orange carrots in the 17th century to honor the Dutch flag at the time and William I, Prince of Orange.
Carrots are available as ‘rainbow’ carrots in white, yellow, pink, orange, red, purple and black colours, as a snack item.

REFERENCES

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrot#cite_note-Purple-15

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/285753#diet

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods/carrots#nutrition

Carrot Raita