Beetroot Mallum

Name: Beetroot Mallum (Mallum)
Yield: Serves 4 as a side
Cuisine: Sri Lanka
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons neutral oil; 250 g (9 oz) cooked beetroot; 8 fresh curry leaves; 1 small red onion, sliced; ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper; 3 garlic cloves, sliced; ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds; ½ teaspoon fine sea salt; ½-1 green finger chilli, seeds in, chopped; 60 g (1 cup) grated coconut, fresh or desiccated; Squeeze of lime; Coriander (cilantro) or mint leaves, to serve

Mallum

Preparation info

Serves
4
as a side

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Nutmeg Trail

By Eleanor Ford

Published 2022

About

A beautiful magenta bowlful that occupies the notional middle ground between cooked salad and relish. It makes the perfect earthily sweet counterpoint when you have a tableful of resolutely brown curries.

Ingredients

250 g (9 oz) cooked beetroot
2 tablespoons neutral oil

Asia
Sri Lanka
Salad
Vegan
Gluten-free

Method

Cut the beetroot into rounds, then slice again to make thin strips. Save any juices they give off.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the curry leaves, mustard seeds and pepper and let them splutter in the heat. Add the onion, garlic and chilli and stir-fry to soften.

Add the beetroot, beetroot juice, grated coconut and salt. If using desiccated coconut, add