Beetroot Pachadi Recipe
Pachadi is traditionally from Kerala. And as we, southern neighbouring states have adopted and adapted several recipes from one another, we add pachadi to the list. Beetroot pachadi is easily one of my favourite summer side dishes. It’s very close behind the curry leaves thambuli. Anything yoghurt based to beat the heat is a blessing. Since monsoon has officially cracked its way down on us, it’s been great. The heat though is still here. A bowl of rice, some pachadi and some crisps make for a perfect lunch during these days.
You can make pachadi with any root vegetable, I suppose. I prefer it cool as opposed to room temperature, and God forbid, warm! Nobody should eat pachadi warm. Another reason to serve this up when you have guests is that it adds a dash of colour on their plates. It’s easy to whip up and gorgeous to look at. Since it tastes great too, you have a winner.
Prep time:
10 mins
Cooking time:
5-10 mins
Ingredients:
Beetroot – 1 medium grated
Plain yoghurt – 2 cups
Coconut – 3 tbsp
Green chilli – 2
Cumin seeds / jeera – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Ginger – 1 inch piece
Garlic – 2 cloves
Tempering:
Coconut oil – 2 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Cumin seeds / jeera – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 sprig
Dried red chilli – 1
Salt to taste
Method:
Boil the grated beetroot in water for 5 mins or till it’s cooked. Alternately, you can wrap the beet in foil and pop it in the oven and let it cook at 180 degrees C for 50 mins. Then grate it.
Grind the coconut, jeera, green chilli, 1 tsp mustard seeds, ginger and garlic with a splash of water to make a paste.
Mix the beetroot and the coconut mixture and cook on low flame for a couple of minutes. Add a splash of the water you cooked the beetroot in or some plain water.
In the meanwhile, whip the yoghurt till it’s smooth and then add the beetroot mixture to it. Add salt.
Heat a small pan with coconut oil and add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them splutter and then add the red chilli and curry leaves. Once they crackle, add to the pachadi.
Serve with rice.
