Beetroot Pachadi

This mesmerizing pink accompaniment is prepared especially during the festival Onam and Vishu… It is prepared and served with the other delectable dishes served in Sadhya…. Prepared with grated and cooked beetroot with an amazing earthy flavour along with the   ground paste of fresh coconut, cumin and mustard seeds, ginger, garlic and spicy dark green chillies and whisked curds, tempered with coconut oil,  mustard seeds, curry leaves and whole dried red chillies.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Chilling time in the Refrigerator: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients and Quantity:

Beetroot, large, peeled and grated- 2 ½ cups

Water- 1 cup

Salt- to taste

Thick Curds, whisked- ¾ th Cups

For the ground / smooth paste:

Fresh Coconut, grated- 1/4^th cup

Cumin seeds- ½  tsp

Mustard seeds- ½ tsp

Ginger, grated- 1 inch

Garlic, grated / crushed- 4 cloves

Green chillies, chopped-2 nos.

Water- 1 tbsp.

For the Tempering:

Coconut Oil- 1 ½  tsp.

Mustard Seeds- ¾ th tsp.

Curry leaves- 2 sprigs

Whole Dried Red chillies- 4 nos.

Method:

In a non-stick pan add the grated beetroot, salt and water.

Cover and cook on a slow flame for 10 minutes.

Add the ground paste to the beetroot and let it simmer for 5 minutes until the raw aroma of the coconut disappears.

Switch off the flame and let the beetroot cool down

Now add the whisked curds, mix well.

In a small non-stick pan add oil, let it heat add mustard seeds, Let them crackle / splutter, add the curry leaves and whole dried red chillies.

Pour the tempering over the pachadi.

Serve immediately.

Or

Cover and refrigerate it for 20 minutes and serve.

Goes best with Steamed Rice and Sambhar (Sambar).