Beetroot Pachadi

 Beetroot Pachadi is usually served on the occasion of Onam, Vishu, and on Sadya. This pachadi is made with cooked beetroot and plain yogurt and has a bit sweet taste. 

Ingredients

• 1 cup Grated Beetroot /Very Finely chopped Beetroot
• 1 tsp Ginger
• 3 nos Green Chillies
• 1/2 to 1 cup Grated Coconut (or as needed)
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 cup Plain Sour Yogurt /Curd
• a pinch Sugar (optional)
• Salt to taste

For Seasoning:

• 1 tsp Coconut Oil
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 3 nos Dried Red Chillie
• 1 sprig Curry leaves

Instructions

• In a pan, add the 1 cup of grated or finely chopped beetroot with little water, salt to taste.
• Close and cook the grated beetroot till it turns to soft.
• Grind the grated coconut, green chillies, grated ginger, and 1/4 tsp mustard seeds into a smooth paste with 1/4 cup curds. ( No need to add water, just grind with the curd)
• Add the coconut paste to the cooked beetroots and cook for a couple of mins. Remove from the fire.
• Whip the curd nicely with a fork to remove the lumps, from it, or just pulse it for a second in a blender, do not blend into buttermilk. Now add the rest of the curd, salt, pinch of sugar, and combine well.
• After adding curd, do not cook it for a long time, just cook for a couple of seconds, or you could remove the cooked, beetroot mixture from the fire, and add the curd and mix well.
• The consistency should be like this, semi-thick if it's too thin, then when serving, it may spread all over the banana leaf.
• Heat oil for tempering in a small frying pan; add mustard seeds, when the mustard seeds start popping, add dried red chillies, curry leaves, give it a mix, and add it to the pachadi. 
• Mix well. Serve with steamed rice and enjoy.

Notes

• Use a mixture of buttermilk and curd if you prefer the pachadi to have a thin consistency.