Vellarikka Pachadi-Cucumber in Coconut-Curd mix

The cucumber has a very important  role in Kerala cooking.. There are different kinds of cucumber(visit here for more details). Mainly there are two  types of  cucumbers: one is Kerala cucumber (yellow cucumber/dosakkai) and garden Cucumebr(we call it as salad cucumber-used for the raitha and salad preparation. good for eyes also).In Kerala cooking we use the former one. I always like to make the Pachadi with this vegetable. Actaually, the  Pachadi is a dish with curd, cocunut, jeera(cumin seed) and Kaduku(mustard seed). When Amma prepare this pachadi she does not add mustard. My brother and I doesn’t like the taste of mustard so she always prefer to make it  with no mustard.. but my hus home,  they used to add the mustard seeds Nowadays I used to prepare my mom’s and mil’s recipes... and we are calling both the dish as pachadi..(at first we have some confusion abt the name ) Today i am going to share with u guys my amma’s Pachadi recipe. I already added my mil’s recipe-Pineapple Pachadi.You can use fruit and veggies for the preparation. It is one of the important dish served for Kerala sadhya.(feast) .Anyway within weeks we all are going to celebrate our Onam festival .So do not miss to include this delicious pachadi in ur list..

Ok let me share the recipe.

Ingredients

Yellow Cucumber:1/4 portion

Green Chili: 3 nos

Salt: to taste

Curd: 1/2 cup

For Grinding

Coconut: 1/4 cup

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Pearl onion: 1 no

For seasoning

Oil: 1 tsp

Mustard Seed: 1 tsp

Red Chili: 1 no

Curry leaves: 1 sprig

Preparation

• Peel the skin and de seed the cuumber then cut them into very small square pieces.
• Chop the green chili
• Make a nice paste of coconut,Cumin seeds and pearl onion.Add some water for grinding.

Procedure

Step1:

• Cook the cucumber pieces with chopped green chili, salt and 1/4 cup of water for 3 minutes in medium heat.
• Add the coconut paste to the half cooked cucumber and let the mix to cook for 5 minutes or until the cucumber pieces are completely cooked

Step2: 

• Let the cooked mix to cool down.Add the curd  and mix well..

Step3: 

• Heat oil in a pan .Add the mustard seed, Once it staretd spluttering add the red chili and curry leaves.. 
• Add the cucumber-curd mix into the seasoning. change the heat level to very low and just heat it for 2 minutes...Do not boil the mix.

The Delicious Vellarikka Pachadi is ready to serve.Have it with rice.

Cook’s Tip:

• Do not add more water for cooking the cucumber 
• Do not add curd to the hot mixture
• Do not over heat the pachadi while seasoning.
• According to your taste add more chilies.
• Do not add more pearl onion.