Pachadi

Method

1. 1

   Choose base: Select 2 cups pineapple, mango, beetroot or cucumber. Dice into small pieces.

2. 2

   Cook the fruit: Cook diced fruit with half cup water, a pinch of turmeric and salt on medium heat 5-6 minutes until just softened.

3. 3

   Make coconut paste: Blend half cup fresh grated coconut, half tsp mustard seeds, 2 green chillies and a pinch of turmeric with a little water to a smooth paste.

4. 4

   Cook coconut with fruit: Add coconut paste to the cooked fruit. Cook on medium-low heat 4 minutes stirring until raw coconut smell disappears.

5. 5

   Cool the mixture: Remove from heat and allow to cool 5 minutes — never add yogurt to a hot mixture.

6. 6

   Whisk yogurt: Whisk 1 cup thick fresh yogurt until completely smooth.

7. 7

   Combine: Add whisked yogurt to the cooled fruit-coconut mixture. Stir gently to combine evenly.

8. 8

   Make tempering: Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they pop add 2 dried red chillies, curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida.

9. 9

   Add tempering: Pour sizzling tempering over the pachadi and fold gently.

10. 10

    Serve: Adjust salt and sweetness — pachadi should balance sweet, sour and creamy. Serve chilled or at room temperature as part of Kerala sadhya.