Shredded Beet and Dill, Coconut Salad

I've come across so many tempting recipes for beets lately that I almost let my three little lonely beets expire in the fridge because I couldn't make up my mind what to do with them. A day of catching up after a weekend away reminded me of a simple recipe for a raw beet salad that I saw a while back in my copy of Yamuna's Table. An additional bonus was this gave me an opportunity to use some of the fresh herbs growing in my little backyard garden. The fried mustard seeds compliment the earthy flavour of the beets nicely, while the coconut competes pleasantly with the strength of the finest of red beets. The orange slices that serve as a base for the rest of the ingredients contribute a refreshing citrusy element to the dish.

I've adapted the recipe to suit my preference for the day. Feel free to substitute fresh coriander or mint for the dill, or any other type of orange for the clementines that I used here.

Shredded Beet, Dill, and Coconut Salad

2 cups of finely shredded peeled beets
1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons of black mustard seeds
1 tablespoon of maple syrup (honey can be used instead)
a few oranges, peeled and separated into slices (I used clementines)
3 tablespoons of finely grated coconut
1 - 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh dill

Put the shredded beets into a medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. When hot, add the mustard seeds to the pan, partially cover and cook until the seeds begin to pop. Remove from the heat, stir in the maple syrup and pour over the beets. Toss to combine.

Peel the oranges and separate in slices. To serve, place some orange slices on a plate, top with some beets, and garnish with coconut and dill.

Serves 4.

I'm sharing this with Suganya of Tasty Palettes who is hosting A Fruit a Month. Coconut is in the spotlight for June.