Mango pachadi

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Pachadi is a traditional South Indian side-dish. Broadly translated, it refers to food which has been pounded. The definition of the word 'Pachadi' is different among different South Indian regions. While in Kerala and Tamilnadu, pachadi is a side-dish curry similar to the north Indian Raita, in Andhra Pradesh, pachadi is a fresh pickle and has very low shelf life, a maximum of two or three days. It is made of fresh vegetables and is served as an accompaniment for rice, snacks like idli, dosa, pesarattu.

In Kerala and Tamilnadu states pachadi is eaten fresh and typically made of finely chopped and boiled vegetables with coconut, green or red chillies and tempered in oil with mustard seeds, ginger and curry leaves. Curd/yogurt based pachadi can be made of any vegetable, although cucumbers, squash, mango, bitter gourd or pineapple are common. Pachadi is commonly eaten with rice and a lentil curry.

Ingredients

• 1 or 2 ripe mangoes, peeled, stone removed and cut into nibble-sized cubes
• ½ and onion, peeled and finely chopped
• sea salt to taste
• 2 or 3 green chillies chopped into rings
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated coconut or 2 tablespoons dessicated coconut
• ½ can [200 g (7 oz)] of coconut milk
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground fenugreek seeds

garnish

• A few tablespoons of oil for frying
• 1 red chilli, chopped into rings (optional)
• 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon Mustard seeds
• A few curry leaves, optional

Method

1. Add the mangoes, onion, coconut milk, coconut, fenugreek powder , salt and 250 ml (0.43 pint) of water to a pan.
2. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 25 minutes until it thickens a little.
3. Meanwhile heat the oil in a frying pan, add the mustard seeds and once they begin to pop, stiur in the shallots, red chillies and curry leaves.
4. Once the shallots have browned a little, stir the garnish into the curry mixture and serve as a side dish or as a curry on its own with plain boiled rice.