Beetroot, also known simply as the beet, has been gaining in popularity as a new super food due to recent studies claiming that beets and beetroot juice can improve athletic performance, lower blood pressure and increase blood flow.  It contains potassium, magnesium, iron, vitamins A, B6 and C, folic acidcarbohydrates, protein, antioxidants and soluble fiber. Since I was asked to increase Hemoglobin in my blood, I had to come up with some healthy yet tasty and interesting recipes. All of a sudden someone posted a healthy beetroot recipe on net and I remembered that my mom used to make similar kind of cutlets when we were young. Also in Pune there is a popular joint called “Vaishali” and their cutlets are to die for, and of course they are my favorite too.

Now just didn't want to make beetroot cutlets, so tried adding mixed sprouted lentils to it to make it healthier. Lentils are generally abundant sources of protein. Around 30% of the calories provided by lentils for example come from its protein content. In certain regions of the world, beans and other types of legumes are used as a cheap substitute for meat. So here we go. Let’s enjoy these cutlets.

Ingredients:
Mixed sprouted and boiled lentils

Beetroots: 2 (medium sized boiled)
Mixed-sprouted lentils or legumes: ¾ cup
Potatoes: 2 (medium sized boiled)
Ginger-Garlic paste: 1 Tbsp
Cumin powder: 1 Tbsp
Garam masala powder: 1 Tbsp.
Onion: ½ cup (finely chopped) or Onion powder 1 Tbsp.
Paprika: ½ Tsp
Salt: To taste
Bread crumbs: About 1 Cup or as needed to bind the cutlets
Roasted suzi: About ½ Cup to coat the tikkis
Oil: For shallow frying the tikkis  


Procedure:

Pressure cook beetroots, potatoes and mixed-sprouted lentils in separate containers. If you do not have sprouted lentils ready, do not worry. Just take mixed lentils and boil them or pressure cook them. Also if you do not have mixed lentils, just take any lentils which you have on hand (like moong, mataki, chole, chickpeas etc.) I usually use sprouted lentils for its health benefits. Keep boiled beets and potatoes in the freeze for about an hour or so. This will make it easier at the time of binding the tikkis and will not be extra moist.

Now grate boiled beets, potatoes together add lentils, onions, ginger-garlic paste, salt and all the masalas to the mixture. Mix it well and add bread crumbs (for binding) to make tikkis out of it. You may need more or less bread crumbs as per your mixture. Make round, oval or any shaped tikkis according to your preference and keep them aside. Now coat the tikkis in roasted suzi. 

Take a pan or tava and add little oil to it. The tava should not be very hot. Start assembling the tikkis on the tava and shallow fry them till golden-brown from both the sides. It will become little crunchy if you fry them a little longer which obviously tastes better. Serve them hot with tomato ketchup or any chutney of your choice.

Note:
You may add any veggies of your choice. You may also add grated cheese in the mixture. Add all the spices according to your taste buds. Some people prefer not to boil the beet and just grate it but we in our family like it boiled which is easier to make the tikkis.  

Don’t forget to enjoy this yummy snack item. Happy Cooking!!!! 

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