Veg Recipes

Pineapple Pachadi

 

Pineapple Pachadi

Pineapple Pachadi is a unique and delicious dish hailing from the sunny shores of Kerala. It is a vibrant and flavourful addition to any meal, particularly cherished as a staple and integral part of the traditional Kerala Onam and Vishu sadya.
If you have ever had the pleasure of savouring a grand sadya, you'll know that the meal is a masterful balancing act of tastes: hot, sour, spicy, salty, and sweet. Pachadi or Kichadi is a star dish in this lineup, typically served at the start of the course, and the Pineapple Pachadi is the most intriguing.
What goes into the magical dish?
Pineapple Pachadi is a sophisticated blend of texture and temperature. It's cool, creamy, and vibrantly fresh!
The Fruit Base: Ripe pineapple chunks are gently cooked, intensifying their sweetness, while preserving their crispness.
The Creamy Binder: Plain curd or yogurt is whisked until smooth, forming the tangy base. The creamy texture of the yogurt also serves to soften and blend all the flavours seamlessly.
The Spice: A freshly ground paste of coconut, green chillies, and a hint of cumin provides a subtle, earthy warmth and aroma. The spice is just enough to cut through the sweetness without overpowering the fruit. The medley of spices further heightens the flavours of the Pachadi.
The Tempering: A final flourish of tempered mustard seeds, dried red chillies, and curry leaves sizzled in coconut oil is poured over the top, adding a crucial aromatic crunch to the dish.
The Result: The dish is a culinary paradox! A dish that is at once sweet from the fruit, tangy from the yoghurt, and subtly spicy from the chilli. It is a symphony of sweet, savoury, and spiced flavours. It lends a tropical twist to the Kerala cuisine.
More than a side dish, Pineapple Pachadi serves as a refreshing and delightful contrast to the other dishes in a sadya.
It provides a cool and refreshing element to the sadya, unlike other sadya savoury dishes. Sometimes, the most memorable dishes are the ones that defy expectations, offering a playful twist to familiar flavours as they take a sudden, delightful detour into the tropical.
The combination of fruit and yogurt in a spicy, savoury dish may seem unusual to many. However, it creates a unique culinary experience for those who are open to trying diverse flavours.
Pineapple Pachadi is a perfect illustration of how simplicity in ingredients can lead to complexity in flavour. It makes you rethink that a fruit need not necessarily belong in a fruit bowl. It can be proudly placed alongside rice and curry.
A brief history: Pineapple in Kerala cuisine
Did you know pineapple is not native to India?
According to historical records, it was most likely introduced by the Portuguese in the 16th century in India. Since then, the pineapple has become an integral part of Kerala cuisine. The town of Vazhakulam in Ernakulam, Kerala, is renowned for its extensive pineapple cultivation and is often referred to as the pineapple city.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Lunch Recipe, Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Kerala Cuisine, South Indian
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • 1 Medium-sized pan
  • 1 Seasoning pan

Ingredients
  

  • 1 no. Medium-ripe pineapple (cut into small pieces)
  • ½ tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Chilli powder
  • ½-1 cup Water for cooking
  • 1 cup Curd/yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp Jaggery powder
  • 1 tsp Salt to taste or as per requirement

For Grinding

  • ¾ cup Coconut (grated)
  • 2 nos. Green chillies
  • ½ tsp Cumin seeds
  • ½ tsp Mustard seeds

For Seasoning

  • 1 tbsp Coconut oil
  • 1 tsp Mustard seeds
  • 2 nos. Whole red chillies
  • 10 nos. Curry leaves

Instructions
 

Method of preparation

  • Cook pineapple pieces with turmeric powder, chilli powder, and salt for 5 minutes till slightly tender. Do not overcook.
  • Next, grate half a coconut. Grind it with cumin seeds and green chillies to a fine paste by adding a little water. Add mustard seeds and give them a small pulse. Do not grind the mustard seeds as they may taste bitter. The mustard seeds should only be crushed coarsely.
  • Pour the coconut paste into the pineapple mixture and stir gently to coat evenly. Add the jaggery powder and mix.
  • Add 1 cup of whisked curd to the cooked pineapple and switch off the flame. 

Seasoning

  • In a seasoning pan, heat coconut oil. Add mustard seeds and splutter. Add whole red chillies and saute. Lastly, add curry leaves and fry. Pour this over the pineapple mixture. Mix well.

Notes

Why should the pineapple be cooked?
It is necessary to cook pineapple because fresh pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain. When fresh pineapple is mixed with curd, it can turn bitter. So, it is necessary to cook the fruit pieces for a few minutes to neutralize the enzyme. This is a crucial step in preparing the pachadi.
The key to Pachadi's success lies in the way the sharp acidity of the pineapple mellows when cooked and then contrasts beautifully with the cool, creamy yogurt, making it an excellent palate cleanser.
Before serving: Never reheat pachadi as it is a curd-based dish. If refrigerated, remove from the fridge and let it return to room temperature before serving. 
JUST GIVE IT A TRY! It takes less than 30 minutes. Serve it chilled, and let the tropical sweet-and-sour symphony play across your palate!
There is a variation of Pachadi that includes black grapes or green grapes. Beetroot is also used to make pachadi. It is grated, stir-fried, and mixed with curd.
Keyword coconut, curd, mustard seeds, Pineapple