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Onam Recipes: Cucumber Pachadi, Beetroot Pachadi

Last updated on: September 06, 2022 15:23 IST

Julie Ignatius provides recipes for the key pachadi component of your Onam Sadhya.

Pachadi, the yoghurt-based South Indian answer to a north Indian raita, although it is often much, much more than that, can be made with a wide range of vegetables and is a critical part of a meal because it provides the cool, healthy salad-like break from spice.

The hands-down favourite is usually Pineapple Pachadi. But all pachadis taste super refreshing and astonishingly yum because nothing dresses up raw vegetables the way a pachadi does.

Try a Vellarikkai or Kerala-style Cucumber Pachadi or a Beetroot Pachadi -- the ingredients used in these dishes are the same, except for jeera or cumin and red chillies. The process is also similar.

Both these dishes can be a part of your everyday lunch or dinner too and go well with steamed rice and sambar or rasam and even rotis.

Julie hails from Kollam in southern Kerala, but has been living in Mumbai for several decades.

She whips up delicious Malayali food and is known for her red masala fish curries.

Every year, she makes the Onam Sadhya for her family. Except for the chips and papadam, everything, including the tamarind relish inji puli, is made at home.

Kindly note the image has only been posted for representational purposes.
Photograph: Kind courtesy Cool Studio_Food/Instagram

Cucumber Pachadi

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

Method

Editor's Note: Vegans can substitute yoghurt with vegan yoghurt.


Kindly note the image has only been posted for representational purposes.
Photograph: RAK Samayal/Instagram

Beetroot Pachadi

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients

Method

Editor's Note: Vegans can substitute yoghurt with vegan yoghurt. Jains, who may not eat beetroot, could use fried sliced bhindi or okra for this recipe.

 
Photograph: Kind courtesy Julie Ignatius

JULIE IGNATIUS