Key Sir with Beans (Sweet Potato Beet Salad)

I eat a lot of good food.

Saturday evening my boyfriend and I went to Bati, an Ethiopian restaurant in Fort Greene Brooklyn.  It was my very first time eating Ethiopian food.  At first I was a bit leery of eating with my fingers ("finger chop sticks"), but I got the hang of it after one bite, and I was in heaven!  We ordered Kategna for an appetizer, which was Injera (Ethiopian flat bread made with Teff Flour) brushed with berbere (chili blend) and kibe (clarified butter), then toasted.  For the entree we decided to split a Vegetarian Combo so that we could try a more than just one veggie dish at once.  The dish that stood out to me the most was probably the simplest of the four we tried. It was called Key Sir; beets and potatoes marinated in lemon, onion, and pepper ( jalepeño, I think).  Served cold, the sweet beets, and potato really hit the spot; so I decided to attempt a recreation at home.  Of course I had to add my own twist to it.



The recipe didn't take any figuring out.  It's simply beets, potato, lemon, onion and pepper.  So to add my twist, I used roasted sweet potatoes, not white potatoes, and I used Rancho Gordo's Yellow Indian Lady bean for protein, and to make it a complete meal.  The only thing missing was the delicious Injera : (

Next time I make this dish, which will be very soon, I won't use beans.  For protein I'll make another accompaniment.  The beans, though delicious on their own, overpowered the subtle flavors of the beets and roasted sweet potato, brought out by the lemon.  
Without the beans, I give my Key Sir 5 stars!

Key Sir with Beans

4 small, or 3 medium sized Beets, roasted and cubed

1 medium Sweet Potato, cubed and roasted

1/4 lbs Dry White Beans (or RG Yellow Indian Lady) cooked and drained *optional*

1/4 cup diced Red Onion 

1 Jalepeño Pepper, finely diced.  I used 2 Green Thai Chilis (very spicy)!

Juice of one medium Lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

Pinch of Sea Salt

Handful of Fresh Cilantro (half chopped)

Once the roasted beets and potatoes have cooled a bit, put them together in a medium sized mixing bowl. Add diced Onion, Jalepeño, Lemon Juice, and a pinch of Sea Salt.  If you like Cilantro, I recommend adding some chopped to the mixture.  Stir, and set in refrigerator to marinate.  The dish is great served right away, but even better when it's had time to marinate and chill.

Garnish with Cilantro, and enjoy with fresh homemade Injera, or Whole Wheat Sour Dough bread.