Cucumber Pachadi | Vellarikka Pachadi

Vegetarian Curry
|August 6, 2023

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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

For Grinding

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

For Tempering

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 it till be water in periodic interval till is water is evaporates. Cucumber cooks well once water evaporates.
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.