wellhealthorganic.com Pachadi: Cucumber Pachadi is a delightful Kerala-style raita that combines the freshness of cucumber with the rich flavors of ground coconut and mustard seeds paste, blended with creamy curd. It’s a simple yet delicious side dish that perfectly complements any meal.
Pachadi
- Preparation Time: 5 minutes
- Cooking Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Cuisine: Kerala, South Indian
- Course: Side Dish
- Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
- Difficulty Level: Moderate
Ingredients:
For Grinding:
- 1/4 cup grated fresh coconut
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 green chili, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water, or as required
For Cooking Cucumber:
- 1 medium to large cucumber
- 1/4 cup water
Other Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup Curd, beaten
- Salt, as required
For Tempering Vellarikka Pachadi:
- 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 dry red chili
- 5 to 6 curry leaves
Also Read: Tamarind Rice
Instructions:
Preparing Coconut-Mustard Seeds Paste:
- In a grinder jar, combine 1/4 cup coconut, 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds, and chopped green chili.
- Add 3 tablespoons of water and grind until smooth. Set aside the coconut paste.
Cooking Cucumber:
- Rinse, peel, and chop the cucumber into small pieces.
- Place the chopped cucumber in a pan with 1/4 cup of water.
- Cook the cucumber over low to medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the water evaporates and the cucumber develops a cooked taste.
Making Vellarikka Pachadi:
- Add the ground coconut paste to the cooked cucumber.
- Season with salt according to taste.
- Mix well and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes over low heat. Allow the mixture to cool down.
Adding Beaten Curd:
- Beat 1 cup of curd until smooth.
- Once the cucumber-coconut mixture has cooled or slightly warmed, gently fold in the beaten curd until well combined.
Tempering Vellarikka Pachadi:
- Heat 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil in a small frying pan.
- Add 1/4 teaspoon of mustard seeds and let them crackle.
- Then add the halved dry red chili and curry leaves. Fry for a few seconds until the curry leaves turn crisp and the chili changes color.
- Pour the tempering over the pachadi mixture and mix well.
Also Read: Tomato Rasam
Serving:
- Serve the Vellarikka Pachadi as a side dish with sambar-rice or steamed rice. It can also be refrigerated and served chilled. Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator.
Notes:
- If using yellow cucumber, remove the seeds before chopping.