Kerala Onam Recipe: Vellarikka Pacchadi / Cucumber Pachadi

Easy to make and tasty to eat, cucumber pachadi or vellarikka pacchadi as it is called in Malayalam is made from golden coloured cucumber. This is one of the thottu curries of the onam feast. This dish is white in color.

Just like my other two posts on pineapple pachadi and beetroot pachadi, this cucumber pachadi recipe follows the basic pachadi recipe with some minor variations. The main difference in vellarikka pachadi in comparison to other pachadis is the lack of turmeric and asafoetida.

Ingredients

1.       Finely chopped cucumber – 2 cups

2.       Green Chillies  – 2

3.       Salt – to taste

4.       Water – to cook

Cook the cucumber with chopped green chillies and salt. Cook till dry.

5.       Grated coconut - ½ cup

6.       Cumin seeds – ½ tsp

7.       Mustard seeds – ½ tsp

Make a smooth paste of these ingredients with a little water and add it to the cooked beetroot. Cook for five minutes.

8.       Thick Curd – 1 cup

Switch off the heat. Add beaten curd and mix well. Add as much or as little curd as you wish. Consistency of the gravy depends on the amount of curd.

9.       Coconut oil – 1 tbsp

10.   Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

11.   Dry red chillies - 2

12.   Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Heat coconut oil in a small kadai. Add remaining ingredients and sauté for a minute. Pour this over the curry. Mix lightly. Serve hot with rice.

Tips

• Add curd to hot curry and mix. Never boil any curry after adding curd. You may switch off the heat before adding the curd.
• The amount of curd depends on how much gravy you want.