Pavakka Kichadi or Pachadi is a very easy dish made with bittergourd,coconut and curd as main ingredients.Pavakka Kichadi is one of the dishes prepared for Onam Sadya.I am trying to post the missed out Onam Sadya Items this year.I have already posted Vellarika Kichadi so this year I tried this Pavakka Kichadi.I was a bit scared of the bitterness, as I didn’t deep fry bittergourd but still the pachadi turned out nice and edible,a mild bitterness was there which I actually liked it 🙂 I made this today and we had it as such and it was so refreshing to have this raita along with breakfast 🙂
Check out other Onam Sadya Dishes
Pavakkai Kichadi Recipe
Preparation Time:10 minutes | Cooking Time : 10 mins | Serves: 2
Recipe Category: Sidedish | Recipe Cuisine: Kerala
Recipe Category: Sidedish | Recipe Cuisine: Kerala
Bittergourd – 1 cup chopped finely
Thick Curd – 1 cup
Small Onion – 5 sliced
Coconut Oil – 2 tsp
Salt – to taste
To grind to a paste:
Fresh Grated Coconut – 1/4 cup loosely packed
Green Chilli – 1 chopped roughly
Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp
To temper:
Coconut Oil – 1 tsp
Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
Red Chilli – 2 small
Curry Leaves – a small sprig
Method:
- Wash bittergourd well, then slightly scrap the sides.Cut it into half, I used only 1 half.Noe further slit open.
- Scrap out the seeds and discard them.`Now make thin slices and cut them into small cubes
- Heat oil in a pan, add chopped bittergourd and saute.Keep sauteing in low medium flame.
- Meanwhile get all the ingredients listed under ‘to grind’ in a mixer jar along with little water grind it to a semi fine paste as shown,Set aside.Keep sauteing the bittergourd.
- Once it is nicely browned like below add coconut paste cook for few mins until raw smell leaves.This may take just few mins 3-5mins.Set aside to cool.
- In tadka kadai heat oil – add the ingredients listed under ‘to temper and let it splutter,Set aside.Now add sliced onions,fry till golden brown.
- Beat curd well using a hand whisk, add required salt and add it to cooked bittergourd coconut mixture.
- Add fried onions and tadka items, give a quick mix and serve.This step is done off the stove.
Garnish with fried onions and Serve chilled as a sidedish.
My Notes:
- Beating the curd is a must before adding to the curry.
- I reserved a little of the tempering for garnish which actually was good while eating as the crunch was there.
- If you are scared about curdling switch off cool down a bit then add curd as I did.
- Adding coconut oil gives nice flavour to the curry so don’t skip it.
- You can even deep fry bittergourd.
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