Inji Pachadi | Ginger Yogurt Curry

The festival of Vishu heralds the New Year for the Hindus in the South Indian state of Kerala. Vishukkani, Vishukodi, Vishusadhya, Vishukkaineetom are the customs and practices symbolic with the Malayalee New Year. ( Know more about these customs) Even today all these customs are followed with the reverence and sanctity they deserve.

There is no festivity without an elaborate Sadhya that serves so many dishes that you get up from the banana leaf stuffed swearing never to eat so much again. Yet if there was even one item missing out of the sadhya you would feel amiss and would call it an incomplete sadhya!

Pachadi is a very common side dish for sadhya which is quick to make and can be made using different vegetables. Simply put, it is tempering the yogurt with veggies that go along with yogurt - Cucumber, beetroot,carrot, pineapple or even bitter gourd to name a few.

Recipe

Preparation Time - 30 minutes

Serves - 4

Ingredients

Ginger – ¼ cup finely chopped
Shallots – ¼ cup chopped
Green Chilly – 2 finely chopped
Yogurt – 1.5 cups
Red Chilly – 1
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry Leaves – 2 sprigs
Coconut oil
Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and let it splutter.
Add ginger, shallots, green chilly, red chilly and curry leaves. Saute well until the ginger just begins to brown.
Turn off the flame. Add yogurt, adjust salt and stir well until mixed. (add yogurt only after turning off the flame else it may curdle.) Stir for a while lest the heat from the vessel begins to curdle it up.

You may also note -

Pachadi is best served with Matta Rice.
It is always served at room temperature.
It is fine to be refrigerated but needs to be brought to room temperature before serving. Try not to re-heat. If at all you do, turn off the flame just when it begins to warm.

Comments

Traversing the Deutschland-Frankfurt on foot

No better way to explore a new place than on foot - soaking in the ethereal rays of the sun and the gentle breeze setting the tone for the late afternoon, we set out to explore the pristine town of Frankfurt along River Main. Half a day in Frankfurt was all we had, nevertheless, we managed to comfortably traverse the city and all we wanted to see and do in 6 hours. Given that we visited Frankfurt in the end of April, the weather ranged from 6 to 20 degree, warm clothing is always recommended. Setting out from the B&B Hotel in Frankfurt, we headed in the direction of the river. A city along the banks of a river, gives the place a special charm, atleast that what I think! Every travel brings about new revelations. I come from a place where there is no dearth for sunlight and hence, probably do not value it enough and here I was at a place where the glorious sun presents itself in its full glory once a while. The green pastures along the banks of the river had people sleeping shirtles...

Kundapura Chicken Curry/ Kundapura Koli Saaru

Kundapura Chicken Curry is a traditional chicken preparation popular along the coastal belt of Mangalore - Udupi - Kundapura region. It is an excellent accompaniment for kori rotti, sanna , neeru dosa and rice as well. So that is another jog down the memory lane. Takes me back to Brahmavar and the tastes of Brahmavar which I grew up to love. It's not just the food but also the special people in my life who cooked this for me. My two akkas Geetha akka and Sabitha akka who took care of me and my sister just like their kids. I am sure Geetha akka is still waiting for me to get home to prepare her special dishes. Here I have the recipe of Kundapura Chicken for you - Ingredients Onions - 2 chopped Tomato - 1 chopped Curry Leaves - 1 sprig Cumin seeds - 1 tsp Coconut milk - 1 cup Chicken - 1/2 kg Oil salt to taste For the paste - Ginger - 1 tsp chopped Garlic - 1 tsp chopped Cinnamon sticks - 1 inch stick Cloves - 5 to 6 Whole pepper - 1 tsp Coriander see...

Thukpa - Noodle Soup

I had never heard of this dish until a year before, when I had it for the first time from a small Tibetan restaurant in Viveknagar, Bangalore and more recently heard of it on Roti, Rasta aur India's Ladakh leg of the show. My husband spoke highly of Thukpa. This is what he had to say - light yet a wholesome meal, wonderful for cold and fever. I can't agree better. It is definitely light but quite filling and what more -it is the best and delicious way to consume the healthy vegetables which you might normally loathe. For all the mothers, it may be a really good way to get your kids to eat some vegetables. My husband swears on the health benefits of the soup. Apparently, he used to have thukpa when he was down with cold and it gave him a lot of relief as the soup found its way down the throat through the food pipe clearing the throat. I have always brought packets of Knor or Maggie soup but never attempted to make one. That is when I thought about beginning my ...

Wanderberry Tales

Search This Blog