Pachadi is a yogurt based side dish with essentially very few spice elements. Typically served as a side to a vegetarian Sadhya or feast, this dish has mild undertones of coconut flavor, which enhances the overall flavor profile of the carrots. Carrot Pachadi can be quickly prepared and it takes me back to authentic Keralite home cooking.
Ingredients:
· 2 Tbsp olive oil
· ½ Tbsp coconut oil
· 1 cup of pre-shredded carrots (chop to desired texture)
· 1 green chili, sliced
· 1 small onion, chopped
· 2 sprigs of curry leaves
· 1 tsp mustard seeds
· ½ tsp salt or to taste
· ¼ cup of grated coconut (if frozen, thaw first)
· 1 cup of plain full fat yogurt (whisked until pourable)
Recipe:
1. Add olive oil and coconut oil into a medium sized saucepan or pot and heat on medium-high heat.
2. Add mustard seeds and allow them to pop. Keep lid on the pot to prevent splattering.
3. After popping the mustard seeds, add onion, green chili and curry leaves and saute for 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent.
4. Add the carrots and saute until the carrots are tender and all the flavors marry.
5. Add the grated coconut, mix for another minute, turn the heat off, and move the pot off the heat.
6. Add the whisked yogurt, salt to taste, and stir to combine all the ingredients. Cool this side dish and serve with rice and sides. Keep leftovers refrigerated and if need be, dilute with a little water to thin out the consistency of the Pachadi. The consistency should be thicker, but pourable.
7. Enjoy!
Tip:
To thaw frozen coconut from the grocery store, break off the desired quantity (eyeball it) and place it into a microwave safe bowl. Heat for about 20-30 seconds in the microwave and check with a fork to see if the coconut breaks down. If so, great! If not, add for another 10 seconds at a time to attain the shredded texture. Freshly ground coconut can be used as well, but to save time, I used frozen ground coconut.
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