Sunday, March 2, 2008

Madhura Curry/Pineapple-Munthiri Pachadi-A sweet side dish for a sweet reason!


…..hmm….cant remember the last time I attended a Hindu marriage and had Sadya!” , I heard this statement twice, from two different people, in the last three days! One ofcourse was CJJ and the second one was his friend from college, who has not been able to go home in the last 3 years due to some very valid reasons. Sadya, in its pure visual sense, is an artists palette and as I had written in some of my previous posts, is a traditional vegetarian feast of Keralites and is very close to each and every Malayalee’s heart ……….. a nostalgia for some like us , who left home and homeland, soon after marriage because of one’s job demands, making it almost impossible to travel back miles together to attend a close-one’s marriage or cousin’s house-warming function or your sibling’s kid’s naming ceremony or first birthday ….we miss such homely get-togethers, followed by this grand feast, served on a banana leaf with rice and a myriad of vegetable side dishes cooked in ground coconut mixture, both fresh and roasted, and some cooked in buttermilk and curd, in various flavours, mildly spiced up curries, plantain chips, spicy pickles, Payasam & Pradhaman and a fresh banana and Pappadam (Indian wafers). It hurts to say that after our marriage, we got to attend only one wedding and we have missed lots of our friends and cousin’s marriages and housewarming functions. Perhaps, folks staying back home might silently detest these functions, as it happens almost every two weeks, making it difficult for one to enjoy a cozy private weekend, and yes, it is quite understandable…but when we miss all of these continuously for one or two years or more, the yearning is naturally on the higher side…….. the longing to reach across to your family and friends, clad in pretty clothes, cracking a joke, sharing a gossip or two……the desire to be part of a feast where everyone sit in a row of those metal tables draped with white table cloth, and enjoying the Sadya from the banana leaves…….that feeling is something which is difficult to pen down!

I LOVE Sadya so much, I am embarrassed to write it down here, that there was an incident where everyone left the huge dining hall, next to the marriage–reception one, and the only two people left behind were yours truly and her friend and finally we were forced to stop feasting ourselves as we were asked to speed up because they had to set the table for the next batch of invitees!!! It used to be more fun when I used to attend marriages with my cousin, G chechi as both of us enjoyed and shared the embarrassment of asking for second servings of some of our favourite side dishes and one such dish was this Madhura Curry or Pineapple-Munthiri Pachadi which is curried pineapple and grapes, cooked in ground coconut paste, with a touch of curd and seasoned with coconut oil, curry leaves and mustard seeds. After having an ‘urula ’ of rice mixed with sambar (curried lentils and vegetables), a touch of this sweet fruity side dish was quite refreshing for me. Usually the preparations for the Sadya, start on the previous night of the wedding and cooking is done early in the morning to make sure that everything is ready by 10 in the morning. So by the time it is served for lunch, the fruity flavours of pineapple and grapes would have married the ground coconut, giving it a succulent texture and taste.

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup ripe pineapple, diced into small bite size pieces
  • 8-10 black grapes
  • ¼ tsp turmeric p/w
  • A pinch of red chilly powder
  • 1-2 Indian green chillies, finely chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • Water to cook the fruits
  • 1 ½ tbsp curd
  • 1 tsp sugar, if required
For grinding:
  • ½ - ¾ cup freshly grated coconut
  • 2 Indian green chillies
  • 1 small piece of ginger
  • A pinch of mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp turmeric
For seasoning:
  • 2 tsp oil, preferably coconut oil
  • ½ tsp mustard seeds
  • 1-2 whole dry red chillies
  • 5-6 curry leaves
Directions:
  • Grind grated coconut, green chillies, ginger, mustard seeds and turmeric powder into a smooth paste, in the small jar of a mixer or blender, adding some water if required and keep aside.
  • In a small saucepan, cook small pineapple chunks with green chillies, turmeric powder, chilly powder and salt to taste, in some water and when the fruit is half-cooked, add the whole grapes, close the lid and cook in low flame, till the juice from the grapes comes off and blends with pineapple. Just before the grape juice colour overwhelms the yellowish-ness of the cooked pineapple, add the ground coconut mixture and cook again, in low-medium heat, till it starts to boil. Add the curd and adjust the salt and mix everything well and if the sweetness is not enough, add a tsp of sugar, stir well and turn off the stove, not letting the curd to boil. At this stage, the curry should have a medium consistency, neither thick nor thin or dry.
  • In another pan, heat oil and splutter mustard seeds, dry red chillies and turn off the stove and immediately add the torn curry leaves and pour the whole things to the dish; Close the lid and let it rest for a couple of hours , allowing all the fruit flavors to gel well with the ground coconut mixture and oil . (Note: This dish takes time to blend all the flavors; so give enough resting time before serving it.)
There is only one problem with this sweet side dish; either you fall in love with this or you break-up at the first date itself!!!.

UPDATE: For Sadya recipes check out SADYA VIBHAVANGAL - Learn to make the traditional Kerala Feast- An Artist’s Edible Palette !

Luv
Shn
No part of the content ( articles, photographs, recipes) of this blog may be reproduced without my written permission.Copyright © 2007-2010 Kitchenmishmash.blogspot.com. All rights reserved.

49 comments:

  1. Me too love Sadhyas...Umpteen dishes & 3-4 kinds of payasams..its really a treat!!! But I have a break-up story with this dish.. As a matter of fact not jst this one...i dnt like any of the sweet curries.
    Nice write up though :)

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  2. Dear shn,
    You have done it again.A wonderful post,a dash of humour,a pinch of nostalgia and a great recipe.Of course,it is a matter of love at first bite or mismatched.My mom in law makes this very yummy dish and she would always mention that the mustard seeds should be added last while grinding so that the bitterness won't ooze out.Just my two cents at that.

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  3. We should attend a wedding together, then you can have my portion too... It is one of those dishes on the ila that I never used to touch, somehow I never got used to the sweet with savory combo:) Your version really looks beautiful, great picture...

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  4. Shn, the curried pachadi looks delicious and we hv a cousin dish named 'Saasam' which is curried pineapple-mango-grapes, is served during marriages n is a dish to die for!! It derives the name from mustard seeds(saasam), which are ground to paste along with coconut and jaggery. Tks for sharing yours n bringing back those sweet memories!! :)wd try out your way soon!

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  5. wow, that's a totaly new dish to me and looks inviting!

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  6. Shn thanks for the recipe.I didnt know how to prepare this.I love it too just like you, after an urula of sambar rice.Infact I have my preferences of what side dishes goes best with parippu,sambar while eating a sadya.I am sure you do too :)I have often thought that people during weddings etc hurry up on eating a sadya.

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  7. I used to hate sadyas.....hated licking payasam off the leaf with my hands....but a few years of stay away from the homeland made me realise what a sadya truly means....now that Iam back home I just absolutely don't miss any chance to have a traditional sadya. BTW, I had this pachadi just yesterday...at a sadya....:-))
    Yours looks nice.

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  8. ah...another nostalgic post!
    madhura curry is a must in every wedding feast for us too. tangy pineapple with sweet grapes and coconut and a dash of fresh creamy yogurt with a touch of few spices is my fav too:) u have done it again mishy! i am gonna shop for grapes and pineapple this eve:)

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  9. Love this pachadi and just made it last week. Was trying to finish off a surfeit of pineapple!
    I'm not a "sadya" person. Too amy varities of food and I have a problem finishing everything off!!

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  10. I am such a fan of the sweet/savory combo; I love it already :) And Madhura Curry is such a pretty name for this dish.

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  11. Sadya sounds great shn, I have never had one. Near my Thatha's estate, we hove a few Keralites, either called Barry or Kutti! They always own either Sendhi (Kallu) shop who would also sell yummy bondas and Pakodas or a fish or non-veg restaurant!!:D
    As kids every summer, my uncles would buy us Pakodas there(we are not allowed anywhere near there!)or take us to the restaurant/shack have chicken curry which was forbidden at grandparent's home!:D
    Madhura name itself sounds good to me, photo is excellent. Never made Pineapple savory dish though, Mangaloreans make those sweet, tangy ,savory dishes like this. Love the color!:)

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  12. I also agree the snadhya in weddings are the best, for me the best part is payasom. Not to menion the delicious smell lingering in your hands after the wedding :-)

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  13. Beautiful pic!! I love your post, Shn. You are so right abt nostalgia... Haven't had this dish before, but sounds great! :)

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  14. I recently attended weddings and functions continuously for 12 days and there was not a single Malu function there!!! I'll gladly have a sadya anytime :) All the masala of this gravy sounds familiar tho' I've never had a pineapple-grapes combination ever. Is it a South Kerala style?

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  15. i could feel your yearning for home and that something that we miss when we are away....your mention of sadya did make me swallow the pool that formed in my mouth rt now:(
    in konkani w call this mathura curry sasam..
    i love it too..

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  16. I know exactly what you mean about missing the family gatherings! As for Sadya, I have had it at the weddings of malayalee friends, and omg, those feasts are some of the most memorable ones, in addition to being totally exotic to me as well.

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  17. From what I gather, I to would probably love sadyas...and yes,one does miss all those family gatherings :-(
    ...the madhura curry does sound interesting :-)

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  18. ...Well, I must admit am not a big fan of sadyas,simply bcoz they serve only veg dishes...:)But anyway ,I love these sweet savory combo-pachadi,mambazha pulissery et al...ha!already a ship is sailing in my mouth!

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  19. hi shn!! i have passed on an award to you....when you are free just drop in to pick it up.As usual this post is again so wonderful.

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  20. I hear ya on missing family functions!!
    pineapple,grapes curry! YUM! wish I could taste some!

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  21. Its the first time i'm seeing sadhyas. Very interesting. Gosh i'm oblivious to so many beautiful dishes.

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  22. hi shn, i think i missed ur few yummy dishes....oh god now i am craving for my favourite pineapple pachadi!! looks yummy yummy...

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  23. shn i would like to pass " E for excellent award " for ur great creations!!!..please pick tht award from my site..

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  24. You are so cute, Shn! This post, especially the scene with two of you enjoying the sadhya when everyone else left was so much spot on :). I am the same kind too :-D. i love the madhura curry, lovely combination of flavors!

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  25. this is a very new recipe for me looks deleciouss mishmash

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  26. I am not a big sweet person, but this one has me totally intrigued. These sadhyas always sound so cool, just like all the tamil festival spread we had growing up, but the menu is so totally different. Next time you hit one, take me along and we can eat till they throw us out :)

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  27. Shn, Never heard of this dish seems so delicious

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  28. Madhura curry sounds poetic. The ingredients are quite interesting.

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  29. helo. Mish..
    As always something unexpected happend.:-) luvly dish.. thanks.. & nice ,drooling picture..

    we should use sweet Munthiri..right??

    Ammu

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  30. How intensely delicious! I love curry and this sweetened one sounds like a nice complement.

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  31. looks yummy... i love all the pachadi's.... i make it with pineapple but never tried this combination... surely going to try this..

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  32. tell you, I'll fall in love with it instantly! Another fantastic creation!

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  33. am not a big fan of sweet curries..err may be except mampazhanga pullisseri..slurp*.!!

    *recovering back after a brief gastronimic attack

    I have countless stories where during sadhya's we would be goin for the nth round and the server looked at us in amusement..

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  34. Hi Shn, it's been a long time I didn't come directly on your site. And I discover again wonderful recipes ! I've always wanted to try pineapple pachadi, but i have to convince Prince who doesn't like sweet and salt dishes !

    I also love sadya so much, and we don't wait for onam to make a good one at home ! ;)

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  35. Surya, I see your point.....Infact many in my family dont prefer such sweet-savory combo....quite natural...:)

    Farah, Oh thank you so much :) What a generous appreciation :) And thanks for that great tip...I havent noticed that ....so will deft'ly keep that in mind next time I grind them :)

    Sig, I would love to.. :D God knows when I can take the next vacation and when i can attend a marriage!! :)

    Purnima, sounds interesting...infact someone also pointed out that its a konkani dish...adding jaggery ....hmmm...want to taste that once :)

    Mansi, thank you dear :)

    Sumitha, happy I could share this with you all :) Oh yes, you got it right.....I have my own combinations and preferences too....i like to have a lil bit of puli inji while having payasam, just like everyone has pickle :) I think we all sadya lovers should go together to a marriage and enjoy the sadya the way it has to be:)

    Jayashree, hmm....we learm the value of so many things after leaving the homeland.....I am so jealous that you got to go for a sadya :P

    Sia, thanks so much ,m y friend :) so happy shopping :)) is it snowing there...?

    Aparna, My problem is not finishing the sadya, but finishing the second, third servings :))))

    Nupur, if you like sweet-savory dishes, I think you would love this fruity one :)

    Asha, barrys ? are they mallus..? so you had some good fun during those days with kerala food, I guess....when something is forbidden, its more tasty right..? :P

    Happy Cook, everything about sadya is romantic, isnt it? :)

    Kalai, thanks...give it a try :)

    Jyothsna, so you went home again..??? lucky uuuu..:))) the ground coconut mixture is the one usually used for all pachadi's...I am 100 % central kerala product,so my palate is familiar with that regional taste only...dont know about the south style either...so , I really cant asnwer that Q, sorry :)

    Nanditha, hmmm...all of us in the same boat ! yeah...someone did mention about sasam earlier too.....you should make it for me once :)

    Evolving tastes, I can sense your excitement about sadya even now through these lines...:))

    Sunita, if you check the link i have given for sadya, it will take you to one of my previous posts and thats the sadya I prepared last year for a festival...so that will give you a more clear idea...if you visit me once, I will prepare this feast for you :)

    Liz, heheh....achayathikutti-kku non veg ellathe pattilla ennu enikkariyille..:))) ho mambzha pulissery ennu parayumbo ente vaayil vellam varunnu...evide aa cheriya pazhutha manga kittilla...avide kitto..?

    Saswati, Thanks for the kind gesture :)

    Manasi, come over....I know thats difficult, so why dont you try it at home..? :)

    Kajal, once relishing a real sadya, you will yearn for more, trust me :)

    Chithra, sure dear...thanks a lot.....thanks for this sweet gesture :)

    Musical, so we will be best sadya buddies , eh ? :)))

    Sagari, thank you :)

    kaykat, I am so happy to read your comment.....looks like many here are excited about the idea of enjoying a sadya once....I wish I could make it real for you all! They will not throw us out....they will just give you some 'looks' which will put us in an embarrassing scene :D

    Sreelu,it is :)

    Suganya, now that you said, yeah it sounds poetic :)

    Ammu, yes, sweet ripe ones....black ones are ideal....:)

    Cakespy, appreciate your interest.....thanks a lot :)

    Sandhya, this combo is usually there for all sadyas....grapes gives a sweet touch to the tangy pineapple...its nice :)

    gattina, yes am sure you will :)

    Mathew, aah...now I understand why i didnt see your weekend post this time :) was it continental or naadan..? hmm...I understand ....my hubby also stays away from such dishes....in a way it is good as I get to eat the whole stuff :D veruthe mambazha pulissery ennokke paranju enne vishamippikkalle...:)

    Charline, hey..how ve you been..? You re one person who always amazes me with your passion for kerala and its food...Looks like Prince is like my father and hubby and many others who dont prefer sweet-savory dishes.....you can make it next time when you prepare a sadya, so its only one among the many pachadis....so he has more options :)

    Shn

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  36. Hey Shn
    I have had this at a friends place...I like the sweet n savoury flavour..Nice pics!!

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  37. Shn, I do dearly love coming here and reading your posts filled with little moments snatched up from your life. The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, isn't it :)

    Pineapple pachadi is a new dish for me to try... thank you :)

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  38. I am in anti madhura curry wagon. Why do you make things I dont like sound so good. It makes me want to try it once more.

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  39. my fav!!yeah, maybe all us bloggers should start a sadya fest here in US...for our functions to get over the missing and longing.if only we lived closer.:)

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  40. Hi....
    This totally a new dish to me.... Loved this recipe a lot....Nice picture....and colour.....

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  41. God! I don't think I'll ever try this one. I don't like any sweet-savory combo. I gag even on sweet mango or pineapple pachadi before sneaking it off into the next 'ella'
    ;)
    But I loved your writeup. A stroll down memory lane... sigh!

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  42. hi,
    i have not eaten a sadhya for the past 8 yrs. the curry looks mouthwatering...slurp. the best part is eating with hands all the curries etc etc overflowing and escaping out of the banana leaf.

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  43. oh wow... yummy!!!! I love all pineapple curries. We make something similar in Karnataka. Its called Menaskai....

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  44. I am flipping over this dish, Shn. I love sweet and spicy together and this dish has an abundance of both. I just made some sweet potatoes with ginger, coconut, and pineapple last week that was really good, so this one's next!

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  45. Well, I'm intrigued...as usual. :)
    I do love the sweet/savory of fruit chutneys, so I am game for this. Shn, are black grapes really dark purple ones?

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  46. Swati, Thanks :)

    Linda, that was so sweet of you to say that :) if you like the sweet-savory combo, try this one :)

    Mocha, hahhaha.....sorry dear :))

    Mallugirl,hmm....I wish! :)

    Sukanya, thank you :)

    Macademia the nut, hahahha ...I hope u re my sadya buddy, so you can sneak all that to my ela :) btw, did you try the fried rice..? liked the preparation...?

    Anon, not just overflowing part, holding the leaf from the side to stop flowing is also the fun part :)

    Sagari, thanks:)

    Ramya, oh is it...? I have to check for menaskai now :)

    Susan, hmm....i think you will like this prep too as the one you mentioned sounds very similar to this one :)

    Susan, yeah I know....I understand :) you can use black-purple varieties.....but not the light green types, thats what i meant :)

    Shn

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  47. I was discussing sadya with my colleague just today :-)

    lovely recipe :-)

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  48. Its simply superb ......i love it and tried....came so wonderful.
    Can i get the recipe of traditional palada prathaman? not using the ada we get from stores..thats too sticky n i dont think they r using the rice...

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