Beetroot greens

Here is a recipe inspired by my recent trip to India, and my newly frugal mood on account of the economy. Growing up in India, no food was ever wasted. Every part of a vegetable that could be used was used and there was always a stray cow to eat what was unusable. I recently wanted to make a beetroot salad and hence bought some beets at the supermarket. These beets came with the complete top attached - a nice set of leaves and red stalks, and I couldn't get myself to throw them away and devised this recipe.

Being an old school Indian cook, I remind you don't have to measure out the ingredients exactly. Feel free to vary according to taste. Since this is meant to be scooped with a flat bread and not as a salad, I do cook the stalks to be fairly soft.

Leaves and Stalks from 6 beetroots, finely chopped
Half a red onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp olive or other cooking oil
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Juice of half a lime (about 1 tbsp)
2 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional)

Place the oil in a shallow frying pan on med heat. Add the onions and saute them until they are soft and translucent. Add rest of the ingredients except for the lime juice. Stir to mix. Lower heat to med low, cover the pan tightly to let the stalks cook in their own steam. After about 5-7 minutes uncover the pot. By now the stalks should be soft and the leaves wilted. Raise the heat to med high and cook away all the liquid while stirring the vegetable around so that it does not catch or burn. Take off heat and mix in the lime juice. I like to sprinkle the cilantro just before serving to add a splash of green to the red stalks. If you add it too early it will turn red as well!