Vellarikka Pachadi / Kerala sadya cucumber pachadi is a delicious curry made with Indian yellow cucumber or winter melon which is slightly tart goes well with the yogurt and coconut combination base.
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- FAQs What is vellarikka , pachadi, how to serve etc
- Ingredients
- Steps for making Vellarikka pachadi Kerala sadhya style
- Storage
FAQs
Vellarikka is the Malayalam name for the Indian yellow cucumber. It is available in many shapes and sizes has a lot of water content. It is much bigger than the salad cucumber in size. It has a tart taste and often used for making curries in Kerala homes.
Vellarikka pachadi is white thick curry made with Indian yellow cucumber, yogurt and coconut as the main ingredients. Coarsely ground mustard and green chili are the only used flavoring usually added. The curry is not boiled after the ground mixture is added. Vellarikka Pachadi is usually served for Kerala sadhya, the traditional feast.
Vellarikka pachadi is served on the top half left side of the leaf after the pickles varieties like instant mango pickle, ginger pickle and lemon pickle . It is one of the traditional 'todu curry' served with rice.Atleast 10-15 such thick curries and stir fries are served on the leaf for the feast. The serving size is a 2-3 tsps only.
Vellarikka Pachadi is a dish is usually made for Kerala sadya (feast). But it can be made on regular days too.
Whenever I make spicy Kerala dishes with rice I try to mellow down the heat with such yogurt based side dishes.
Make it thick if you are going to serve the pachadi on the banana leaf for sadhya so it would stay in place and pourable consistency if u are making on other days.
Ingredients :
- Indian yellow cucumber - Instead use raw mango , ash gourd or other varieties of cucumber.
- Grated coconut - Use coconut that is tender not too mature or dry . Use frozen if fresh coconut is not available
- Yogurt - Use plain yogurt made with whole milk. Do not use too tart yogurt as the cucumber has a tart taste. Too much tartness will destroy the fresh flavor of other ingredients.
- Mustard seeds - Grind mustard coarsely. If you grind for long , add more quantity the curry will turn bitter.
- Green chili - Grind green chili coarsely. If you grind longer the curry will turn green and spicier. I like to use least spicy variety without too much heat.
- Seasoning :
- Use coconut oil only.
- Mustard, whole red chili and curry leaves.
Note : Indian yellow cucumber is available in most Indian stores during summer. You may find in the Chinese or other Asian stores too.
Steps for making Vellarikka pachadi Kerala sadhya style :
Remove skin and the core along with seeds.
The cucumber will turn translucent from the opaque white and when you insert a knife into the pieces it will glide through without any resistance.
Remember these points :
- Vellarikka is a very watery vegetable so do not pour too much water to cook. If there is too much water the veggie will cook fast and turn mushy by the end of cooking.
- If you cook the curry after adding the mustard and yogurt paste it will loose its flavor. Allow the curry to slightly heat up not even see a boil.
- Allow the water in the curry to dry up so the curry can turn out thick.
- There is no water add to the coconut yogurt mixture.
- The yogurt and coconut should be in room temperature else it won't grind properly. Remember to grind it first very well and then add mustard and green chili to a quick whip to break it into few pieces that is all.
- If you allow the curry to boil for long the coconut and yogurt will curdle and split.
Storage :
Make the curry just before serving. It tastes best when had fresh. As it sits the curry can turn tart but very much edible. Refrigerate leftovers. Since most ingredients are almost raw the chance of the curry turning rancid in very high in hot climate even on refrigeration. So do not make ahead !
Other popular recipes to try :
Vellarikka Pachadi / Kerala sadya cucumber pachadi
Ingredients
- 1 cup Vellarikka / Kani vellarikka / Yellow cucumber Peeled, seeds removed and chopped into small cubes
- 1 Green chili slit
- Salt as needed
To grind :
- 2 - 3 tbsp Coconut grated
- 3/4 cup Yogurt (really tart/sour)
- 1/2 tsp Mustard
- 1 Green chilli chopped
Seasoning :
- 2 tsp Coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp Mustard
- 2 Whole red chili
- 2 sprigs Curry leaves
Instructions
- Cook the cucumber / vellarikka adding just enough water to cook till soft so most of it dries by the end of cooking.Add chili and salt to it while cooking.
- Grind the coconut and yogurt first then grind the mustard and chili to crushed coarse form. (No water is added while grinding)
- When the cucumber is cooked reduce flame add the ground paste stir continuously and cook for another 2-3 minutes only once the curry is heated (do not allow to boil) remove from stove.
- Heat the coconut oil a small pan, when hot add mustard when it crackles add the whole red chili and curry leaves switch off stove after a minute pour the entire thing on to the curry. Keep it 3/ 4th covered until served.
- Stir the seasoning while serving only.Vellarikka pachadi can be served at room temperature.
Notes
- If the yogurt is too sour it will turn really tart by the time its served if made very early.The cucumber is tart so pl keep that too in mind.
- Any cooking cucumber can be used for this recipe.
- Instead of velarikka raw mango can be used check here Pacha manga pachadi
Do give this curry a try and let me know.
Meena
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