Raw Mango Pachadi | Pacha Maanga Pachadi | Mangai Pachadi | Mamadikaya Pachadi

This is a dish with a lot of emotions attached to it.  This was one of my grandfather's favourite dish. This is my mom's favourite. And now it's mine too.. Earlier I was not a great fan of this. But after a point, I started relishing this relish. And what happened was I never used to get it right. So I have made this a couple of times and clicked a couple of times over a couple of years but somehow I was not satisfied. 

This year when my mom was home, I made her do this and after that I made it again a couple of times and it was tasting perfect each time. Just like that childhood days taste I have in my senses :) And this time I jotted down the measurements too and so it made it's way to the blog now. Sometimes (Many a times) the simplest of the dishes are the ones that take time to master than the complex ones. At least for me ;) This dish can be had like you have the pickle, as a side dish/relish for rice. Or if you are like me, can have it as such too :D

Makes: 1 cup

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 5 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

I Used:

Raw Mango	-	1 medium sized (A heaped ½ cup)
Red Chilly Powder	-	1 tsp
Turmeric Powder	-	¼ tsp
Salt Water	- -	As Needed ¼ cup
Jaggery	-	2-3 tbsp
Oil	-	2 tsp
Mustard	-	½ tsp
Red Chilly	-	1-2 nos
Curry Leaves	-	2 sprigs

The Way:

1. Trim the edges and peel the skin of the mango. Wash it well. The area near the stalk may have milk in it. So wash well else you will get a bitter taste

2. Chop the mango to small pieces (around ¼ inch pieces)

3. Take the chopped mangoes along with the red chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt in a kadai/pan. Add water and mix well

4. Keep the kadai on flame. When it comes to a boil, simmer the flame and  close the kadai with a lid and allow the mango pieces to get cooked. It will take around 5-7 minutes

5. Check once in a while to see that the water is not dried and the mango pieces doesn't get stuck at the bottom of the kadai

6. Once cooked you can see that much of the water has evaporated and you have a thick mix. Now add the jaggery granules to it. I use organic jaggery granules. So added as such

7. If you are using normal jaggery, scrape the jaggery and take them in a separate vessel. Add little water to it and heat it over flame. Once they dissolve switch off the flame and allow to cool. Then strain them using a strainer to remove any impurities in the jaggery and then add it to the pachadi

8. Once you add jaggery, it will release some water. Keep mixing over low flame for 2-3 minutes. The mix will come together. Switch off the flame then

9. In another tadka pan, heat oil. Splutter mustard

10.Add broken red chilly and curry leaves

11. Add this tadka to the pachadi. Mix well and serve

Notes:

• Quantity of the red Chilly powder and jaggery mentioned here are that which I used for a moderately sour mango. Adjust them according to the mango that you use 

• Use raw mangoes for making this pachadi. My mom says that the best ones for making this pachadi are the ones that are starting to turn ripe. The ones which are firm like raw mango but have a mild yellow colour to it

• Adding tadka is optional. If you do not like, you can skip it

Cheers,

Chitz

Kumbalanga Pachadi | Winter Melon Pachadi | Ash Gourd Pachadi | Kerala Onam Sadhya Recipes

How are you beating the heat this year? This year (as I might have kept mentioning in my earlier posts as well ;)) it is slightly overwhelming for me. I am doing all that I can to keep hydrated as much as possible. While summer is fun with all the fruits and popsicles and cold treats and ice creams, it is also very difficult to have as well as cook a full fledged course. All you can think of is to eat watermelons and gulp down glasses of spiced buttermilk. But one has to eat as well right :D So I make many sorts of pachadi as well as it is light and also cold and very easy to make. Doesn't make life difficult in kitchen. You must have understood that by now, coz just last week I posted Vazhaithandu pachadi :D So this pachadi too fits the bill.. It is cold and refreshing with a stir fry and some matta rice :) Isn't it ! So let's see how to make this easy pachadi.

My other pachadi recipes are..

Beetroot Pachadi

Pineapple Pachadi

Mampazha Pachadi | Pazhutha Manga Pachadi

Vazhathandu Pachadi | Banana Stem Raita

Vellarikka Pachadi | Cucumber Pachadi

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Cooking Time : 30 minutes

Serves : 3-4 persons

I Used:

Kumbalanga/Winter Melon/Ash gourd	-	A heaped ¾ cup
Green Chilly	-	2 nos - slit
Water	-	½ cup
Salt	-	As Needed

To Grind:

Grated Coconut	-	A heaped ¼ cup
Mustard Curd	- -	½ tsp 1 cup

To Temper:

Coconut Oil	-	2 tbsp
Mustard	-	½ tsp
Red Chilly	-	2 nos
Curry leaves	-	2 sprigs

The Way:

1. In a saucepan take the cubed kumbalanga (winter melon/ash gourd), slit green chilly & salt along with ½ cup water & cook them over medium flame

2. Meanwhile grind together grated coconut and mustard. When they are ground well add curd & give another pulse or two so that the curd is mixed well

3. When the kumbalanga is cooked well, check if there is too much water. If then keep only about 1/4 cup and discard the rest. If there is too much water, the pachadi will turn too runny

4. Now add the ground coconut mixture & stir well.  Make sure the flame is very low & it does not boil. This may take about a minute or two. Once mixed well, remove from flame. Do not allow it to boil much, else the curd will curdle

5. Heat oil in another pan. Splutter the mustard seeds. Add red chilly & curry leaves & saute. Take care that they are not burnt. Add this tempering to the pachadi & give a stir & serve

Notes:

• Can add ½ tsp cumin seeds and/or a ½ inch piece ginger also while grinding. Since my family does not prefer them I do not add

Cheers,

Chitz

Vazhaithandu Pachadi | Vazhathandu Pachadi | Banana Stem Raita

This year summer in Pune has also become unbearable. The past two years I found it much better when compared to Chennai or Kerala, but this time it was bad :( And so, we were resorting to all sorts of coolants for the body and soul ! You do not feel like eating an elaborate lunch during summer, do you? We don't.. We feel like eating just some cold fruits and drink loads of buttermilk and lemonades ;) But everyday I don't do that. Somedays I cook rice and keep it simple with some steamed veggies and curd. 

I had a weeny tiny bit of banana stem remaining with me one day and that wasn't sufficient to make a kootu or upperi so I thought will make pachadi out of it. So googled for the recipe and found at Chitra's blog. I thought I had to cook the stem before making pachadi, but the recipe was a breeze that required no cooking at all and just the tempering. Also you do not feel any raw taste of the vazhaithandu/banana stem also ! That's a plus right :) So if you are looking for recipes that do not need much of cooking time and want to enjoy the summer under the fan like me, this recipe is one for you. Check out !

Some other recipes with Vazhathandu are 

Vazhathandu Poriyal | Vazhapindi Upperi | Banana Stem Stir Fry
Vazhaithandu Kootu | Banana Stem Kootu

Recipe Source: Adapted from Here

Preparation Time : 10 minutes

Cooking Time : 5 minutes

Serves : 2-3 persons 

I Used:

Vazhaithandu/Banana stem		½ cup (chopped)
Curd (Thick)		1 cup
Salt		As Needed
Coriander Leaves		2-3 sprigs for garnish

To Temper:

Oil		2 tbsp
Mustard		½ tsp
Urd Dal		1 tsp
Green Chilly		1 no
Asafoetida/Hing		½ tsp
Curry leaves		1-2 sprigs

The Way:

1. Whisk the curd in a bowl till smooth and there are no lumps. If you prefer the pachadi a little watery, add little water to the curd

2. Next clean and chop the banana stem to fine pieces. For cleaning the banana, discard the outer cover that comes off easily when you peel them. Then take the inner pith (hard part) and cut them into round discs. While doing so, you can see that there is a little fibre in between the discs.Discard them

3. Then chop the discs into small pieces and add them to the whisked curd immediately. (No need to cook the banana stem) If you keep it in open air, they will change colour. Alternately you can add the chopped banana stem pieces to water or little buttermilk till use to prevent them from changing colour

4. Add salt to the curd-banana stem and mix it

5. Now the tempering part - heat oil in a tadka pan. Splutter mustard. Reduce the flame to low. Add the urad dal. Let it fry for a few seconds. Take care not to burn it

6. Now add the hing, curry leaves and slit green chilly. Let it fry for a few seconds. The green chilly will start to pop out the oil. So be careful. Now switch off the flame

7. Add the tadka to the curd and garnish with coriander leaves. Mix well and serve !

Cheers,

Chitz

Beetroot Pachadi | Kerala Style Beetroot Pachadi | Onam Sadhya Recipes

Grated Beetroot in a mild coconut-curd gravy

In another two weeks it is going to be Onam right ! So how are you going to celebrate Onam this year? Planning to make an elaborate Sadya or is it going to be a simple one? Either ways, this recipe will be a saviour for you. As I always re-iterate I'm all for easy recipes that can be made in less time. But that doen't mean I don't like elaborate preps. But that discussion is for another time! So this is an easy pachadi recipe with beets. I know many don't like beetroot. I have two of that kind at my home as well ;) But they like this pachadi. This and another kurma with beetroot are the only ways in which I can make them eat beets.. So all those beetroot haters out there, try this simple pachadi for Onam this year and enjoy! I'm sure you are going to like it :)

Other Sadhya recipes:

Beans Thoran

Beetroot Thoran
Cabbage Thoran

Mathanga Erissery

Mathan Erissery | Mathan Vanpayar Erissery

Mampazha Pachadi | Pazhutha Manga Pachadi

Mambazha Pulissery | Mambazha Kaalan

Chembu Kumbalanga Moru Kootan | Taro-Ash Gourd Pulissery

Pineapple Pachadi

Pulissery | Kachiya Moru | Mor Kuzhambu
Sambar | Kerala Style Varutharacha Sambar with no Coconut

Vellarikka Pachadi

Homemade Ada for Adapradhaman

Makes: Around 2 cups

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

I Used:

Beetroot	-	2 nos (big sized - grated) (around 1 cup grated)
Turmeric powder	-	¼ tsp
Salt	-	As Needed

To Grind:

Coconut	-	¼ cup
Green Chilly	-	2 nos
Mustard	-	¼ tsp
Curd	-	¼ cup

To Temper:

Coconut oil	-	1 tbsp
Mustard	-	¼ tsp
Red Chilly	-	2 nos - broken
Curry leaves	-	A sprig

The Way:

1. Peel the beetroots and rinse them well in water. Then grate them using a grater

2. In a pan/kadai, take the grated beetroot. Add turmeric powder &  salt and cook covered over medium flame until done. It will get cooked soon (around 5-6 minutes) as it is grated. So check in between and stir once or twice so that it doesn't get burnt

3. Grind together grated coconut, mustard and green chilly along with a little water. Grind it to a smooth paste add them to the cooked beetroot

4. Let them cook for a minute or two

5. Meanwhile in the same mixie add curd & give a quick pulse or two so that the curd is whisked well without lumps

6. Now add the whisked curd to the beet-coconut mixture and give a quick stir. Make sure the flame is very low & it does not boil. Leave it for about a minute. Once mixed well, remove from flame

7. Heat the coconut oil in a tadka pan. Splutter the mustard seeds. Add red chilly & curry leaves & saute. Take care that they are not burnt. Add this tempering to the pachadi & give a stir & serve

Cheers,
Chitz

Pineapple Pachadi | Onam Sadhya Recipes | Kaithachakka Pachadi | Kerala Pineapple Pachadi

Pineapple in coconut and curd sauce with mustard tempering

Pineapple pachadi is another easy pachadi to make when you feel like eating something sweet and tangy along with your steamed rice and hot gravy. It's quite easy to make and can be fixed in a jiffy. This is yet another quintessential dish of the Onam Sadhya menu. When mango is not available, you can readily resort to pineapple and make this pachadi. So why don't we quickly see how this pachadi is made?

Other Sadhya recipes:

Beans Thoran

Beetroot Thoran

Beetroot Pachadi

Cabbage Thoran

Mathanga Erissery

Mathan Erissery | Mathan Vanpayar Erissery

Mampazha Pachadi | Pazhutha Manga Pachadi

Mambazha Pulissery | Mambazha Kaalan

Chembu Kumbalanga Moru Kootan | Taro-Ash Gourd Pulissery

Pulissery | Kachiya Moru | Mor Kuzhambu
Sambar | Kerala Style Varutharacha Sambar with no Coconut

Vellarikka Pachadi

Homemade Ada for Adapradhaman

Recipe Source: Amma

Serves: 3-4 persons

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

I Used:

Pineapple	-	1 cup - diced
Turmeric powder	-	1 or 2 no (depending on hotness)
Salt	-	As Needed
Water Jaggery	- -	½ cup 1 tbsp

To Grind:

Grated Coconut	-	¼ cup
Green Chilly	-	2 nos
Mustard	-	¼ tsp
Curd	-	½ cup

To Temper:

Coconut Oil	-	1 tbsp
Mustard seeds	-	¼ tsp
Red Chilly	-	2 nos - broken
Curry leaves	-	A sprig

The Way:

1. Remove the skin of the pineapple. Then cut them into small cubes. Cut them as small as you want. Some like the pineapple to be visible and of bite sized pieces while some like them really small and mushy. So cut according to your preference

2. In a pan/kadai, take the pineapple cubes. Add turmeric powder & salt along with ½ cup water and cook them over medium flame until the pineapple is cooked well

3. Grind together grated coconut, mustard and green chilly along with a little water. When they are ground to a smooth paste add them to the cooked pineapple

4. Let them cook for a minute or two

5. Meanwhile in the same mixie add curd & give a quick pulse or two so that the curd is whisked well without lumps

6. Now add the whisked curd to the pineapple and give a quick stir. Make sure the flame is very low & it does not boil. Leave it for about a minute. Once mixed well, remove from flame. At this stage you can taste and add jaggery if needed. If the pineapple is too sour and you feel that a little sweetness can balance the taste, then add jaggery as required 

7. Heat the coconut oil in a tadka pan. Splutter the mustard seeds. Add red chilly & curry leaves & saute. Take care that they are not burnt. Add this tempering to the pachadi & give a stir & serve

Cheers,

Chitz

Vellarikka Pachadi | Kerala Style Cucumber Pachadi | Onam Sadhya Recipes

Cucumber in coconut and curd sauce with mustard tempering

I am posting simple or everyday recipes for a while, right? That is all that I can manage at the moment with a bubbly toddler running around the house and tagging along with me all the time. He doesn't like me eyeing my phone or reading anything (be it book or newspaper or anything of that sort) nor watching TV either. I can be either in the kitchen or playing with him. That's all that I'm allowed to do. If I am doing something else, he would want to be a big part of it and I prefer that I sit idle rather than that. I don't want him scribbling on the walls or tearing off the newspaper in the name of reading it, you get me right? ;) 

If at all I happen to take the pics when he's awake, he would climb onto the table to have a peek and showcase as a model by touching the food or simply make me furious by taking off the bowls and plates and run off with it. And playing with the camera, ohh myyy, that nearly gives me an attack every time :D So mostly taking of the pics and blogging happens when he takes a nap (and that seems to reduce by the day ;)) So that's how my day goes on for now :) Interesting na :) I should admit that I'm enjoying it. So for today, the easy recipe is Vellarikka Pachadi. It's a pachadi that you make with kani vellarikka or cucumber. I had some cucumber left after making some pulissery, so I thought would make some pachadi with it and so, it has come up here as well. This is a no hassle, minimum time taking pachadi. Apt if you are conjuring up a quick meal !

Other Sadhya recipes:

Beans Thoran

Beetroot Thoran
Beetroot Pachadi
Cabbage Thoran

Mathanga Erissery

Mathan Erissery | Mathan Vanpayar Erissery

Mampazha Pachadi | Pazhutha Manga Pachadi

Mambazha Pulissery | Mambazha Kaalan

Chembu Kumbalanga Moru Kootan | Taro-Ash Gourd Pulissery

Pineapple Pachadi

Pulissery | Kachiya Moru | Mor Kuzhambu
Sambar | Kerala Style Varutharacha Sambar with no Coconut

Homemade Ada for Adapradhaman

Recipe Source: Amma

Serves: 3-4 persons

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

I Used:

Cucumber/Vellarikka (Kani type)	-	1 cup - diced
Green Chilly	-	1 or 2 no (depending on hotness)
Salt	-	As Needed
Water	-	½ cup

To Grind:

Grated Coconut	-	¼ cup
Green Chilly	-	2 nos
Mustard	-	¼ tsp
Curd	-	½ cup

To Temper:

Coconut Oil	-	1 tbsp
Mustard seeds	-	¼ tsp
Red Chilly	-	2 nos - broken
Curry leaves	-	A sprig

The Way:

1. Clean and rinse the cucumber well. Remove the middle portion with the seeds and cut them into small cubes. Thinner the cubes, the better

2. In a pressure cooker, take the cucumber cubes. Add slited green chillies, salt and water and cook the cucumber till done. I kept it on 2 whistles on high and 3 on low. I like the pieces to be soft and not very firm for the pachadi. Alternately if you want to cook in a normal pan, you can do the same but it will take time 

3. In the meantime, grind together grated coconut, green chilly and mustard with little water to a smooth paste. Then add curd to this and give a quick pulse. Do not grind much

4. Once the cucumber is cooked, switch off the flame. If there is excess water in the cooked cucumber, then remove them. Add the ground paste to the cucumber and stir well. No need to cook after adding the coconut-curd paste. Just need to mix well

5. In a tadka pan, heat coconut oil. Splutter mustard

6. Add the broken red chillies and curry leaves. Add this tempering to the cucumber - coconut paste mixture and serve 

This is more like a condiment, so serve with some steamed rice, a tangy gravy and some stir fries !

Cheers,

Chitz