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Moroccan beetroot salad
Shlada bbarba: cooked beetroot cubes with cumin, parsley and orange-flower water or vinegar
On a Rabat family table, the Friday couscous is often preceded by a spread of small cooked salads, and the jewel-red dish of beetroot cubes is always one of them. Boiled beetroot is cut into dice and dressed with cumin, a little sugar, olive oil and either vinegar for a sharp version or orange-flower water for a softer, perfumed one; some cooks use both. It is earthy, sweet and bright, and needs nothing more than parsley on top. Make it a few hours ahead so the beets soak up the dressing, and serve it cool with bread and other salads. Chef's tip: dress the beetroot while it is still slightly warm; it absorbs the dressing far better than cold beets do.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Wash 4 raw beetroot gently without breaking the skin. Put them whole in a pot, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Peeling or trimming them before boiling is the usual mistake: the colour and sweetness bleed into the water.
5 minStep 2: Simmer, covered, until a knife slides easily into the centre of the largest beet.
40 minStep 3: Drain and leave until cool enough to handle, then rub off the skins with your fingers (wear gloves if you mind pink hands). Cut into 1.5 cm cubes.
Step 4: Whisk ¾ tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt, 1 tbsp white vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp orange-flower water in a bowl. Add the still-warm beetroot and toss gently.
Step 5: Leave for at least 30 minutes, then scatter with 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley and serve cool or at room temperature. It keeps for 2 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 110 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 13 g
- Fat
- 7 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does moroccan beetroot salad take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground cumin?
- Cumin seeds, toasted and ground.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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