I know I have been away for some time now. I have no excuse for my absence except for the fact that I have been a little lazy in publishing the recipes. Yes that's tight. I have been cooking and photographing on a regular basis. But typing the recipes and posting them has somehow taken a back seat.
It's not that that I have not tried posting the recipes. I have been trying desperately to post this recipe for quite sometime now. But something or the other comes up and the post gets procrastinated. I am not sure if it is my imagination but I feel that, in Nairobi, time moves at a faster pace.
This recipe for beetroot pachadi has been in my drafts for almost two months. I have been trying to post the recipe literally one line a day. But fortunately or unfortunately I could only complete this post on Onam. This dish is a Kerala style dish that is served as a side dish to rice and breads. This yogurt based curry is a delicious part of the traditional Onam Sadya. Give this vibrant curry a try and I am sure you will be as addicted to this as I am.
Beetroot pachadi recipe:
Preparation time: 20min
Cooking time- 10min
Serves- 4
Ingredients:
Beetroot- 1med sized, peeled and grated
Turmeric- 1/4tsp
Chili powder- 1/2tsp
Thick yogurt- 1 cup
Salt to taste
For the ground mixture:
Freshly grated coconut- 1/2 cup
Cumin seeds- 1/2tsp
Shallots- 3-4, finely chopped
Mustard seeds- 1/4tsp
For the seasoning:
Oil- 1tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Red chili- 1
Shallot- 1, finely chopped
Asafetida- a pinch
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Method:
- Mix the grated beetroot with the turmeric and red chili powder. Add a little water and cook till soft and dry.
- Grind all the ingredients mentioned under "ground mixture" along with a little water to a fine paste and add to the cooked beetroot.
- Whisk the yogurt till smooth and add to the beetroot mixture. Stir in the salt and mix well.
- For the seasoning, heat oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they pop, add the red chili, asafetida and curry leaves and fry till crisp.
- Add the seasoning mixture to the pachadi and serve immediately with steamed rice.
