Malabar Cucumber Raita/Pachadi
A simple and quick yoghurt based raita or Pachadi, whatever you may call it. It’s absolutely refreshing, cooling and perfect for the coming summer days. These are made with the Malabar cucumber, which is bigger and plumpier than our normal salad type cucumber. It’s grown abundantly during these warm months. Its an important ingredient of the ” Vishu Kani” which we Malayalis keep on Vishu which usually
falls on April 14th. It’s supposed to be our new year day.
You simply need to cook these and then add a ground mixture of freshly grated coconut and curd. Give it a nice tempering of mustard seeds and dry red chilies and your Pachadi is ready. Absolutely no frills or fancies. You can have a look at some more varieties of raita by clicking at this link.
Ingredients:
- Malabar Cucumber 1 small
- Salt to taste
- Sugar a pinch
- Grated coconut half cup
- Green chilies 2-3
- Mustard seeds 1 tsp
- Dry red chili 2
- Coconut oil 1 tsp
- Curry leaves 7-8
- Thick fresh curd 2 cups
Method:
- Peel and remove the seeds of the cucumber.
- Chop them into small cubes and soak it in water.
- Cook the cucumber along with some salt till it’s tender.
- In a mixer jar, add the grated coconut and green chilies and make a fine paste. Towards the end of grinding, add half a teaspoon of mustard seeds and pulse for five seconds. Do not grind longer.
- Add the ground mixture into the cooked cucumber.
- Whisk the curd and add into it.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes
- Heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
- When they splutter add the dry red chilies and curry leaves.
- Add this tempering into the cucumber-curd mixture. Add a pinch of sugar to balance the flavours.
- Serve it chilled with rice.
