Beetroot Pachadi – The pretty lady on the organic plate!

This post is part of SADYA VIBHAVANGAL – Learn to make the traditional Kerala Feast- An Artist’s Edible Palette !

Pachadi and Kichadi are the prominent ones in “thodu –curry” section, giving a colorful start to ‘the organic plate’. They are usually cooked with various vegetables in ground coconut and homemade curd base, giving a taste of freshness. I do not know the theoretical difference between pachadi and kichadi but based on my personal experience, as the princess daughter of the Queen of Arabian sea, pachadi is where vegetables are cooked in little water and then ground coconut flavored with pounded mustard seeds, is added and finished with home-made curd and seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves where as Kichadi is vegetables fried in oil and then enhanced with a touch of fresh curd. If anyone out there knows the correct differentiation, please enlighten me.

Amongst the predominant yellow, white and brown curries of Sadya, this pretty princess reigns as the queen of colors in ‘the organic plate’. Finely chopped beetroot pieces are cooked in water, mildly spiced with green chillies and pungent taste of ginger, and then cooked in fresh ground coconut and homemade curd base and finished with the wonderful aroma of curry leaves and coconut oil.

Ingredients: - (Approx.)

• 1 cup beetroot, finely chopped
• 2 green chillies
• A small piece of ginger, finely chopped
• A pinch of turmeric
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp water

For Grinding:-

• ¼ cup grated coconut
• 2 green chillies
• 2 pinches of mustard seeds
• Salt to taste

¼ cup beaten curd

For seasoning:

• 2 tsp oil, preferably coconut oil
• ¼ tsp mustard seeds
• 1-2 whole dry red chillies
• 5-6 curry leaves

Directions:

• Grind grated coconut and green chillies into a smooth paste, in the small jar of a mixer or blender, adding some water if required; add mustard seeds at the last minute and grind it along with coconut and keep aside.
• In a small saucepan, cook the chopped beetroot pieces with green chillies, ginger, turmeric powder and salt, adding 2-3 tbsp water, just enough to cook the vegetable. When beetroot turn soft, add the ground coconut mixture and cook again, in low-medium heat, till it starts to boil. Add the curd and adjust the salt; mix everything well and turn off the stove (before it starts to boil) 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 thing to the dish; Close the lid and let it rest for sometime before serving.

Luv
Shn

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