Moroccan Beet and Cumin Salad
Moroccan cooks turn nearly every vegetable into a small cool salad, and beets get treated to cumin, paprika, and a lot of fresh herbs. The trick is roasting the beets whole rather than boiling them, which keeps their sweetness in the root instead of leaching it into the water, so no sugar is needed to balance the earthiness. A little orange juice alongside the lemon is a common Moroccan touch that lifts the whole plate. Dress the beets warm so they absorb the spice, and let the salad rest before serving cold.
Ingredients
- 4 wholes Beets
- 1 tsp Cumin seed, toasted and ground
- 1/2 tsp Sweet paprika
- 1 clove Garlic, grated
- 1/2 cup Cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 2 tbsp Oranges, juice
Method
- Wrap the beets in foil and roast at 400 F (200 C) for about an hour, until a knife slides in easily. Roasting rather than boiling drives off water and concentrates the beets' sugar, so the salad needs no sweetener.
- Let them cool just enough to handle, then slip off the skins with your fingers and a paper towel. Dice into half-inch (1 cm) cubes.
- Toast the cumin seeds in a dry pan until fragrant and grind them. Whole seeds toasted this way carry several times the flavor of pre-ground cumin, which matters in a dish this plain.
- Toss the beets while still warm with the cumin, paprika, and grated garlic. Warm beets drink in the spices instead of just wearing them.
- Add the lemon and orange juice and fold in the cilantro and parsley. Let it sit at least 15 minutes; the acid brightens the earthy beet and stands in for salt.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 90 calories, 3 g protein, 5 g fiber, 90 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
