If you are looking for some different types of Raita Recipes, look no further. This recipe of Vellarikka Pachadi is going to be just the apt one for you. Also known as Cucumber Pachadi, this preparation is a Kerala style raita which is super simple, yet supremely delicious and quite nutritious too. This gluten free dish is made with cucumber, curd, coconut and some typical South Indian spices. It is mildly spiced and is also quite cooling for the body because of both the yogurt and cucumber in it. Give it a try!
The taste is very different from the North Indian version of Cucumber raita and goes extremely well as a side dish with sambar-rice or parippu-rice.
Kichadi and pachadi recipes are made for the onam sadya. Veggies and fruits are used to make kichadi or pachadi. I usually make cucumber raita as a side dish to go with the meals at times, but preparing cucumber pachadi had a surprise element as far as the taste is concerned.
For the recipe method, I referred to some cookbooks I have and used the ingredients as per my own sense of proportions.
In this cucumber pachadi recipe, I have used regular cucumber, but you can even use the yellow cucumber (madras cucumber). Remove the seeds if using yellow cucumber.
The recipe of Vellarikka Pachadi is easy and quick one. Apart from the cucumber and curd, other ingredients too that go into making this dish are really basic and available in most of Indian home kitchens. So, whether a South Indian household or no, you will find it quite hassle-free to prepare this dish.
You can also refrigerate and then serve. Leftover cucumber pachadi can be refrigerated.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to make Vellarikka Pachadi
Preparing coconut-mustard seeds paste
1. In a grinder jar take ¼ cup coconut, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 green chili (chopped).
2. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and grind till smooth. Keep the coconut paste aside.
Cooking cucumber
3. Rinse, peel and chop 1 medium to large cucumber. You will need 1 cup of chopped cucumber. Add the cucumber to a pan with ¼ cup water.
4. Keep the pan on stovetop and on a low-medium heat cook the cucumber for 5 to 6 minutes. Do stir at intervals.
5. Let most of the water evaporate from the pan. The cucumber will also have cooked taste.
Making cucumber pachadi
6. Then add the ground coconut paste.
7. Add salt as per taste.
8. Mix very well
9. And cook for 2 to 3 minutes on a low heat. Then keep the pan down and let this mixture cool down.
10. Beat 1 cup curd with a spoon or wired whisk till smooth.
11. Once the cucumber+coconut mixture has cooled down or become warm, then add the beaten curd.
12. Mix very well.
Tempering cucumber pachadi
13. Heat ½ tablespoon coconut oil in a tadka pan or a small frying pan. Add ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds.
14. Let the mustard seeds crackle.
15. Then add 1 dry red chili (halved and seeds removed) and 5 to 6 curry leaves.
16. Fry for a few seconds till the curry leaves become crisp and the red chili changes color. Do not burn.
17. Pour the tempering into the pachadi mixture.
18. Mix very well.
19. Serve vellarikka pachadi as a side dish with sambar-rice or steamed rice. You can also refrigerate and then serve. Leftover cucumber pachadi can be refrigerated.
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Vellarikka pachadi | Cucumber pachadi
Cucumber pachadi is a simple but very delicious Kerala style raita made with ground coconut & mustard seeds paste, fresh curd and cucumber.
Prep Time 5 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 15 mins
for cooking cucumber (vellarikka)
for tempering vellarikka pachadi
Prevent your screen from going dark while making the recipe
preparing coconut-mustard seeds paste
In a grinder jar take ¼ cup coconut, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and 1 green chili (chopped).
Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water and grind till smooth. Keep the coconut paste aside.
cooking cucumber
Rinse, peel and chop 1 medium to large cucumber. You will need 1 cup of chopped cucumber. Add the cucumber in a pan with ¼ cup water.
Keep the pan on stove top and on a low-medium flame cook the cucumber for 5 to 6 minutes. Do stir at intervals.
Let most of the water evaporate from the pan. The cucumber will also have a cooked taste.
making vellarikka pachadi
Then add the ground coconut paste.
Add salt as per taste.
Mix very well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on a low flame. Then keep the pan down and let this mixture cool down.
Beat 1 cup curd with a spoon or wired whisk till smooth.
Once the cucumber+coconut mixture has cooled down or become warm, then add the beaten curd.
Mix very well.
tempering vellarikka pachadi
Heat ½ tablespoon coconut oil in a tadka pan or a small frying pan.
Add ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds.
Let the mustard seeds crackle.
Then add 1 dry red chili (halved and seeds removed) and 5 to 6 curry leaves.
Fry for a few seconds till the curry leaves become crisp and the red chili changes color. Do not burn.
Pour the tempering in the pachadi mixture.
Mix very well.
Serve vellarikka pachadi as a side dish with sambar-rice or steamed rice. you can also refrigerate and then serve. Left over cucumber pachadi can be refrigerated.
- Remove the seeds if using yellow cucumber.
Nutrition Facts
Vellarikka pachadi | Cucumber pachadi
Amount Per Serving
Calories 72 Calories from Fat 36
% Daily Value*
Fat 4g6%
Saturated Fat 3g19%
Cholesterol 3mg1%
Sodium 347mg15%
Potassium 203mg6%
Carbohydrates 5g2%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 240IU5%
Vitamin C 44.9mg54%
Calcium 53mg5%
Iron 0.5mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This Vellarikka pachadi post from the archives, originally published in September 2017 has been updated and republished on January 2023.
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