Once Diwali or Navratri is over, the house usually looks the same everywhere. Boxes of leftover sweets on the counter, a tired stomach, and no one in the mood to cook. That is when a glass of fresh juice sounds good. Beetroot, carrot and apple give you some fibre, a bit of natural sweetness and plenty of water, and that is about all the body asks for after a week of rich food.
The mixer grinder handles this well, so there’s no need to buy a juicer. Cut the beetroot into small pieces first, about the size of your thumbnail. Big chunks make the blades labour, and the jar gets hot. Pour in a little water and run the mixer in short bursts, stopping to look. Beetroot is hard and takes a bit longer than you’d expect.
When it looks smooth, pour it through a fine sieve or a piece of muslin and press down with the back of a spoon to get the last of the juice out. That gives you a clear, silky drink. You can also leave it unstrained. It’s thicker that way, closer to a smoothie, and you kee
Once Diwali or Navratri is over, the house usually looks the same everywhere. Boxes of leftover sweets on the counter, a tired stomach, and no one in the mood to cook. That is when a glass of fresh juice sounds good. Beetroot, carrot and apple give you some fibre, a bit of natural sweetness and plenty of water, and that is about all the body asks for after a week of rich food.
The mixer grinder handles this well, so there’s no need to buy a juicer. Cut the beetroot into small pieces first, about the size of your thumbnail. Big chunks make the blades labour, and the jar gets hot. Pour in a little water and run the mixer in short bursts, stopping to look. Beetroot is hard and takes a bit longer than you’d expect.
When it looks smooth, pour it through a fine sieve or a piece of muslin and press down with the back of a spoon to get the last of the juice out. That gives you a clear, silky drink. You can also leave it unstrained. It’s thicker that way, closer to a smoothie, and you keep all the fibre.
Beetroot tastes quite earthy, and not everyone enjoys that. A small piece of ginger gives the juice a bit of warmth, and a squeeze of lemon takes away most of the muddiness. Mint leaves work well here too. If it still tastes sharp when you try it, half an apple or a spoonful of honey will mellow it out.
Drink it cold, with a few ice cubes if you like, and try to finish it soon after making it. The colour dulls, and the flavour goes flat when it sits for a few hours. If you have to prepare it ahead, pour it into a bottle with a lid, keep it in the fridge and drink it within a day. The pulp sinks to the bottom, so give the bottle a good shake before you pour.