18 August 2011

Kumbalanga Pachadi / Winter Melon Pachadi- Onam Sadhya Vibhavangal 5

Pachadi is a side dish made from different vegetables like Cucumber, Ash Gourd, Bitter Gourd, Pineapple, Ginger (Ingi Pachadi) or even Lady's finger. This is again a yoghurt based gravy but the method of preparation is quite different. The vegetable is cooked and then added to the coconut, mustard, Chilly and ginger paste. Adding the ground mustard is the main difference between pachadi and kichadi. In kichadi mustard is used only for seasoning. 



For Sadhyas (Grand feast) Pachadi is prepared the day before. It has this sour taste which comes from the yoghurt. The combination of coconut and mustard along with chilly and ginger gives a nice aroma and taste to the pachadi. It is very interesting to know that the cooking part ends when the vegetable is cooked along with salt and chilly. There is no cooking or even heating after that.



INGREDIENTS
Kumbalanga/Winter Melon/Ash Gourd - 1/2 Kg( I used half of 1 Melon)
Grated coconut - 1/2 of a medium coconut
Yoghurt - 500 ml
Chilly - 2 + 3
Water - 1/4 cup
Ginger - 3 inch piece chopped into small pieces
Mustard - 2 tsp + 1 tsp for seasoning
Salt - As required
Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Red Chilly (Vattal Mulaku) - 2



METHOD
Peel and chop melon into 1 1/2 inch thin pieces.
Slit 2 chillies.
Cook melon along with chilly, salt and 1/4 cup water.
Drain the water and keep the Ash Gourd/Melon to cool.
Grind the coconut to fine paste.
Add mustard seeds and grind for 2 seconds.
Open lid , add chopped chilly and ginger.
Grind for another 3 seconds. It need not become very fine paste.
Remove the chilly from the Ash Gourd (which was kept to cool).
Transfer the Ash Gourd/ Melon to a bowl. Add the ground paste.
In a mixer pulse the yoghurt for a second. It should not become watery.
Add this to the bowl. Mix well. Check salt.
For seasoning heat coconut oil. 
Add mustard seeds. When it splutters add red chilly and curry leaves.


Hope you all are enjoying my Onam Sadhya Vibhavangal series - Puli IngiOlanKalan and Pineapple Pachadi.

Happy Cooking!

22 comments:

  1. Hi Rinku, Your Onam specialities are lovely. I had a roommate from Kerala in college, who now lives in switzerland. I should surprise her with these items sometime :)

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  2. This is very new to me. Sounds delicious and yummy. Lovely presentation.

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  3. lovely dish! so looks like Onam preparation have already started at your house :)

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  4. perfectly done...love the clicks..

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  5. I luv anything that's tempered with mustard n curry leaves. Yumm :)

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  6. Looks super creamy and incredible..Wat a fabulous dish..

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  7. Rinku..ur pachadi is simply mouthwatering!! Lovely pictures too...love them!! Can I come over for the Sadhya? :D

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  8. Looks yum:) Can't wait to try this one... Onam wishes to you [in advance:)]...
    Reva

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  9. Mouthwatering & comforting & healthy!!!
    Prathima Rao
    Prats Corner

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  10. Bookmarked right away... just drooling...
    HAven't tried wintermelon this way..
    http://krithiskitchen.blogspot.com/

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  11. Love that serving bowl ~ dish sounds really nice n fresh!
    USMasala

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  12. very nutritious and delicious dish. cute bowl and nice clicks

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  13. Pachadi looks great!! especially the second last click..kandittu kothiyavunu:-)

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  14. This looks soo yum, i will be making this soon. Thanks for the recipe

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  15. You are on a roll Rinku.Feels like Onam is already here ! Yummy Pachadi !

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  16. wow, what great pics and presentation, love the pachhadi gravy and those cute little white melon pieces.

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  17. This looks so nice..Very nice clicks too...

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  18. Totally new to me..yummy patchadi

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  19. Tried your recipies for PuliInchi,Pachadi,Olan.. for this Onam. Simply Superb.

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