Kumbalanga Pachadi / Winter Melon Pachadi- Onam Sadhya Vibhavangal 5

Pachadi is a side dish made from different vegetables like Cucumber, Ash Gourd, Bitter Gourd, Pineapple, Ginger (Ingi Pachadi) or even Lady's finger. This is again a yoghurt based gravy but the method of preparation is quite different. The vegetable is cooked and then added to the coconut, mustard, Chilly and ginger paste. Adding the ground mustard is the main difference between pachadi and kichadi. In kichadi mustard is used only for seasoning. 

For Sadhyas (Grand feast) Pachadi is prepared the day before. It has this sour taste which comes from the yoghurt. The combination of coconut and mustard along with chilly and ginger gives a nice aroma and taste to the pachadi. It is very interesting to know that the cooking part ends when the vegetable is cooked along with salt and chilly. There is no cooking or even heating after that.

INGREDIENTS

Kumbalanga/Winter Melon/Ash Gourd - 1/2 Kg( I used half of 1 Melon)

Grated coconut - 1/2 of a medium coconut

Yoghurt - 500 ml

Chilly - 2 + 3

Water - 1/4 cup

Ginger - 3 inch piece chopped into small pieces

Mustard - 2 tsp + 1 tsp for seasoning

Salt - As required

Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs

Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

Red Chilly (Vattal Mulaku) - 2

METHOD

Peel and chop melon into 1 1/2 inch thin pieces.

Slit 2 chillies.

Cook melon along with chilly, salt and 1/4 cup water.

Drain the water and keep the Ash Gourd/Melon to cool.

Grind the coconut to fine paste.

Add mustard seeds and grind for 2 seconds.

Open lid , add chopped chilly and ginger.

Grind for another 3 seconds. It need not become very fine paste.

Remove the chilly from the Ash Gourd (which was kept to cool).

Transfer the Ash Gourd/ Melon to a bowl. Add the ground paste.

In a mixer pulse the yoghurt for a second. It should not become watery.

Add this to the bowl. Mix well. Check salt.

For seasoning heat coconut oil. 

Add mustard seeds. When it splutters add red chilly and curry leaves.

Hope you all are enjoying my Onam Sadhya Vibhavangal series - Puli Ingi, Olan, Kalan and Pineapple Pachadi.

Happy Cooking!

Kalan / Plantains and Yam Cooked in Yoghurt - Onam Sadhya Vibhavangal 3

Kalan is yet another traditional Kerala dish cooked in thick yogurt. This is also called as Kurukku Kalan as it is made by thickening beaten curds. Kalan is one of the important dishes served for Onam Sadhya.

INGREDIENTS

Elephant yam - 1 cup diced

Raw green plantain - 1 cup diced

Pepper – ½ tsp

Chilly powder – ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Water – 2 cups

Thick curd- 2 cups

Grated coconut – 1 ½ cup

Cumin seeds – ¾ tsp

Chilly – 2

Salt – as required

For seasoning:

Coconut Oil – 1 tablespoon

Ghee – 1 tablespoon

Red Dry Chilly/ Vattal Mulaku – 3

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Uluva podi/ fenugreek powder - ½ tsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

METHOD

Chop the plantains into 1/4 inch pieces.

Dice the yam into square pieces.

Cook yam and plantains with pepper, chilly powder, turmeric powder, water and salt.

In the mean time make a paste of the coconut along with cumin and green chilly. Add water only sparingly.

When the vegetables are cooked mash them a bit. Turn the heat to low.

Add the thick yoghurt. Keep stirring else it will curdle.

The yoghurt should reduce to half.

Add the coconut paste. Keep stirring on low flame. It should become very thick. Remove from heat.

Take a small pan. Heat the coconut oil.

Add mustard seeds. When it splutters add red chilly, fenugreek and curry leaves. Pour over the cooked mixture.

Pour the ghee on top of the dish.

Clicked this snap on Independence Day.

Tips:

Kalan tastes best with sour curd.

You can stop cooking the curry when the desired consistency is reached. As it cools it will thicken.

Add very little water to grind the coconut.