Bowl of Beet Yogurt Salad
(click to enlarge)

Beet & Yogurt Salad


Turkey   -   Yogurtlu Pancar Salatasi
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 2-1/2 #
**
1-1/2 hrs
Yes		 Beet and Yogurt salads are popular in Turkey, but in Armenia, they have been largely replaced by Russian style vinaigrette versions. Stirred up a little this one is very colorful.

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2
2
2
1/4
1/2
1/4
------
3
1/4
14
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1
---
#
T
T
c
t
t
---
cl
t
oz
---
t
-- Beets
Beets (1)
Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Parsley, flat
Salt
Pepper
-- Dressing
Garlic
Salt
Yogurt (2)
-- Garnish
Nigella seeds  
Make   -   (1-1/2 hrs - 20 min work)
  1. Place the BEETS in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and keep at a strong simmer until they are done. This is when a sharp skewer can be run through the largest one without hitting a hard spot in the middle. Cool in cold water enough to handle them and rub off the skins.
  2. Slice Beets a little less than 1/2 inch thick and quarter the slices.
  3. Chop PARSLEY small.
  4. Tumble together all Beets items and set aside for a half hour or more, or chill in the fridge.
Dressing
  1. Crush GARLIC and pound with Salt to a paste in a mortar (the salt helps break up the garlic).
  2. Whip together Yogurt and Garlic. Include a tablespoon or two of water as needed to make a thick but almost pourable dressing.
Serve
  1. Serve Beets topped with Yogurt mix and sprinkle with Nigella. You can also serve it stirred, if you wish.
NOTES:

  1. Beets:

      Buy small beets, around 2 inches diameter, that have at least a stubble of their leaf stems still in place. Beets cut below the stem stubble were probably in storage way too long for good flavor, and will bleed too much of their color when boiled.

  2. Yogurt:

      Use a tart natural yogurt, not a heavy or bland one - nor a "low fat", "fat free" or "Greek" one.

  3. Notes:

      This recipe is derived from one in the famous Moro cookbook. Unfortunately this cookbook shares some flaws with other English cookbooks. Traceability to national derivations are spotty ("spotty" is way better than most English cookbooks though) and it calls for ingredients by size (likely much smaller than here in California) rather than by verifiable measures. I'm assigning this recipe to Turkey, because Yogurt is used with Beets there, and Nigella is used on Yogurt there. They make plenty of beet salads in Morocco, but without yogurt.
  4. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar="as required tt=to taste
tgv_beet2 141128 moro40   -   www.clovegarden.com
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