A Tangy-Sweet Tomato Pachadi

One of the most delightful dishes served at an Onam sadya is the pachadi, which is a yogurt-based, sweet and tangy dish. Pachadi can be made with various ingredients like pineapple or cucumber, but this tomato pachadi is especially delicious with its velvety texture and bright, fresh flavours.

Recipe: Thakkali Pachadi or Tomato Pachadi

Barely adapted from Veena’s Curry World

Ingredients
4 ripe tomatoes
5 tbsp mildly sour yogurt, whisked briefly to remove lumps
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
4 tbsp freshly grated coconut
1/4 tsp cumin seeds 
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
2 green chillies
2 curry leaves
Salt to taste 
Sugar to taste

For the tempering
2 dried red chillies
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
5-6 curry leaves
2 tbsp coconut oil 

Method
Cut the tomatoes in quarters, and add to a pressure cooker with the chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and 3 tbsp water. 
Pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium flame. 
Meanwhile, grind the following to a fine paste: coconut, cumin,  mustard seeds, green chillies and curry leaves with 1/4 cup water.
Once the cooker has cooled, add the ground coconut paste, a little sugar and mix well. 
Bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes and turn off heat. 
When the tomatoes have cooled, add the yogurt and stir well. 

To make the tempering
In a small kadai, heat the coconut oil. 
Add the red chillies, mustard seeds, followed by curry leaves.
Pour the seasoning into the tomato pachidi. 
Adjust seasoning.  

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