Pachadi is a simple and delicious kerala style dish which is made using grated coconut, curd and mustard seeds. This is one of the main curry in Onam sadhya. Pachadi can be prepared with beetroot, mango,pineapple, etc. Here is the recipe of pachadi using cucumber which you can easily prepare under 30 minutes. This pachadi goes well with sambar rice as well as boiled rice.

The first step in preparation is to chop the cucumber to fine pieces. Then this cucumber pieces are boiled in water. Then ground coconut paste is added to it and boiled. After cooling, beaten curd is added and mixed well. Finally our pachadi is seasoned. This is where the real taste of pachadi comes out.

This sweet and sour curry is a very good accompaniment for rice. The speciality of this dish is that we need to add mustard seeds while grinding the coconut. You can also crush the mustard seeds separately and add into the curry.

While selecting cucumber, make sure that you use non bitter cucumber. I had chopped the cucumber into very fine pieces as my family members like that way of chopping. Inorder to save your time, you can grind the coconut when the cucumber pieces are boiled. This is a non spicy curry and the presence of yogurt can mellow down the heat. Checkout this yogurt based side dish and do let me know your valuable feedback.

Ingredients :

• Cucumber chopped – 1 medium sized
• Curd – 1/2 cup
• Water – 1/4 cup
• Salt – as required

• Grated coconut – 1/4 cup
• Cumin seeds – 1/4 teaspoon
• Green chilli – 1
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Water – 3 tablespoon

• Coconut oil – 1/2 tablespoon
• Dry red chillies – 2
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Method of preparation :

• Add the chopped cucumber pieces to a pan with 1/4 cup of water and cook for 6 minutes in low to medium flame by closing the lid
• Stir the cucumber at intervals and make sure the water gets evaporated and the cucumber is cooked well
• Grind the ingredients mentioned under ‘ For grinding ‘ to a fine paste
• Add this ground coconut paste to the cooked cucumber, add required salt and mix well
• Cook the coconut mixture with the cucumber for 2 to 3 minutes in low flame
• Switch off the flame, put down the pan and allow the mixture to cool
• Once the cucumber and coconut mix cools down, add 1/2 cup of beated curd to it
• Heat 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil in a tadka pan
• Add mustard seeds, followed by dry red chillies and curry leaves
• Fry them for a few seconds, make sure that it doesn’t burn
• Add this tempering to the prepared pachadi kept aside
• Mix well and serve with hot rice.