Recipe: Fresh beet-ginger raita

Total time: 1 hour

Servings: 6

2 medium beets, cleaned and trimmed

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/2 hot green pepper, serrano or Thai, seeded and finely minced

1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

Salt to taste

1/8 teaspoon whole cumin seeds

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro (save a pinch for garnish)

1 cup plain, whole milk yogurt

1 cup sour cream

1. Place the beets in a small saucepan of boiling water so they are completely immersed. Cover and cook until they are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain the beets and cool them in a bowl of ice water until cool enough to handle. Peel the beets and dice them into about one-eighth-inch pieces. Place the diced beets in a fine mesh strainer and run them under cool water until the water draining is a pale pink. Drain the beets well.

2. In a medium bowl, gently mix the beets with the onion, hot green pepper, ginger, salt, cumin, black pepper, cilantro, yogurt and sour cream. Sprinkle a pinch of cilantro on top. Chill and serve.

Each serving: 60 calories; 2 grams protein; 3 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 5 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 11 mg. cholesterol; 26 mg. sodium.