Chow Chow Pachadi (Raita)

Here is a very simple recipe with chayote squash (chow chow or bangalore Kathrikai as we call it back home). I never thought this vegetable in raita, until I saw this recipe in one of the cookery shows and definitely wanted to give it a a try. It really came out very well.


Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Serves: 3-4 
Ingredient:
1. Chow Chow (Chayote Squash) - 1
2. Grated Coconut - 3 tablespoon
3. Red chilies - 3
4. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
5. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
6. Curry leaves - 2 to 3
7. Curd - 4-5 tablespoon
8. Turmeric powder - a pinch
9. Oil - 1 tablespoon
10. Salt - to taste
11. Curry leaves - 3 to 4

Preparation:
1. Peel the skin and grate the squash finely.
2. Cook it with little water for 6-8 minutes in the microwave or stove
3. Meanwhile, make a fine paste of coconut, red chilies and cumin seeds and little water.
4. Add this paste to the cooked squash and cook it again for 4-5 minutes in microwave or stove.
5. Add the required salt and curd.
6. Season it with mustard seeds, turmeric powder and curry leaves.


Serve it with any rice. It would be a nice combination with any pulav and briyani as a variation from regular onion raita.

Mango Pachadi (மாங்காய் பச்சடி)

Mango Pachadi is the must dish on a Tamil New Year's day - the first day of the first month Chithirai in Tamil Calendar. This usually falls around April 14th of every year.This dish is also an important dish in Kerala as part of Sadhya (Feast in Malayalam). Specialty of this dish is, it has all 6 tastes combined together. 

Preparation Time: 25 Minutes

Ingredients:
1. Raw mango - 2
2. Red Chillies - 4
3. Salt - to taste
4. Jaggery -  1 cup crushed/grated
5. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
6. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tablespoon
7. Curry leaves - 5
8. Asafoetida - a pinch
9. Oil - 3 tablespoon
 10. Neem flower - 5-10

Preparation:
1. Slice mangoes into thin slices.
2. Heat oil in a pan and when it is hot add mustard seeds.
3. When it splutters, add red chillies and Asafoetida and fry well.
4. Add curry leaves, sliced mango,turmeric powder and required salt and little water (around 75 ml) and cook for 7 minutes with closed lid.
5. When the mango is almost cooked, add the jaggery and cook in a low flame for another 5 to 10 minutes until the jaggery melts and mixes with mango to give a shiny look and the oil separates.

Yummy, colorful mango pachadi is ready. This is a very good side dish for mostly Sambhar, Rasam or Curd rice.

Note: After the dish is ready, add neem flowers and mix it. Since I did not have neem flowers when I prepared this recipe, the sixth taste was missing ;)

Ladies Finger (Okra) Raita (Pachadi)

Okra is an ideal vegetable for weight loss and it has to be always cooked over low flame to retain its properties. The fibre of okra has many superior qualities in maintaining health of the gastro-intestinal tract. A very simple yet tasty and healthy dish. Ladies Finger (Okra) is a very

Ingredients:

Ladies Finger - 200 gms

Mustard - 1 teaspoon

Urud dhal - 2 teaspoon

Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Curd - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste.

Preparation:

1. Cut Ladies finger into pieces.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.

3. When it splutters, add urud dhal and asafoetida and when it turns golden brown, add ladies finger.

4. Add little salt and cook ladies finger well without adding water.

5. Remove this from heat and cool the mixture.

6. Add curd and salt if required and mix it thorougly.

Pachadi is ready to be served.

Carrot Raita (Pachadi)

Carrot as we all know is very nutritious vegetable highly rich in Vitamin A. Especially raw carrots are very good for health. This preparation with Carrot also uses raw carrot with few other basic ingredients and is a yummy dish that will tempt you by its color and taste. This dish can be prepared in 15 to 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

Carrot - 3 to 4

Onion - 2 small

Green Chillies -2

Curd - 1 cup

Coriander leaves - for garnishing

Salt to taste

For Seasoning:

Oil - 3 tablespoon

Mustard - 1 tablespoon

Urud dhal - 1 tablespoon
Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves - 3 to 4

Preparation:

1. Finely grate the carrots and transfer it to a bowl.

2. Chop the onions to fine pieces.

3. Split the green chillies into halves.

4. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds when hot. When it splutters add urud dhal and asafoetida and fry till it becomes golden brown.

5. Add curry leaves and green chillies and fry for 1 minute.

6. Now add finely chopped onions and fry till it becomes golden brown.

7. When done, add this to the grated carrot and wait till it cools down.

8. Add curd and salt to taste and mix thoroughly.

9. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Carrot Pachadi is ready to eat.

Note:

1. You can add little grated coconut finally to get an additional flavor.

2. If you are prefer sweet to salt, you can add sugar instead of salt.