Mambazha Pachadi

Mambazha Pachadi – This is a very tasty dish and can be served with rice. This recipe is by the famous Malamel Neelakandan Namboothiri, published in Magalam Weekly.

Pachadi refers to 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 & 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. The vegetables can include all and any kind, sometimes the peel of the vegetable is also used, for e.g the peel of Ridged Gourd knows as beerapottu pachadi in Telugu. These pachadi are very hot and spicy to taste. The vegetables used are more or less raw or sauteed in peanut oil to give a delicious taste.

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.

Ugadi pachadi, prepared on Ugadi day in Andhra Pradesh, is a concoction of fresh neem blossoms, jaggery, salt, tamarind juice, red chilli powder and raw green mango pieces.

Ingredients:

• Nadam Mambazham (Ripe Mango) – 1 kg
• Jaggery – 500g
• Coconut – 1
• Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder – 30g
• Salt – as to taste
• Cumin – 10g
• Mustard Seeds – 50g
• Curry Leaves – 2 stalks
• Coconut Oil -50g

Method:

• Cut the mango into big pieces and cook it with turmeric powder, chilli powder, and salt.
• Add Jaggery and mix again thoroughly.
• Grind the coconut thoroughly with cumin and some mustard seeds.
• Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves.
• Add this to the curry and serve.