Well, I was convinced to post my Carrot Pachadi here. Along with an article that I wrote to go with it for a magazine that is published by a friend. Enjoy!
Carrot Pachadi
There is a thing about Summer in South Australia that is extraordinarily special. Hot dry days, skies streaked with clouds, early mornings made in heaven and evenings made for the beach. Days are made for eating outside, eating with friends and … well, just eating.
This recipe is one of my current favourites – an Indian Pachadi, similar to a Raita, made with yoghurt. It can be eaten as a salad or as an accompaniment to curries. It takes about 10 minutes maximum to make, so is a great last-minute addition to anything – it is particularly good to whip up for that last minute invitation to a BBQ somewhere. Take the recipe with you because people will want it.
The curry leaves are essential, so make sure that you keep some fresh ones in the freezer, or, at a pinch, some dried ones in the cupboard. Buy them from the Indian Bazaar in Market Street opposite the Central Market, or in any of the Asian Shops in the Central Market.
Asofoetida powder is a highly pungent powder used extensively in North Indian cuisine as a replacement for garlic and onions. It has wonderful health giving properties. Use a pinch only at a time and it is good to fry it in some oil, butter or ghee before adding to a dish. Pick it up at the Indian Bazaar when you grab some curry leaves.
Black mustard seeds are much different to yellow mustard seeds – they have a wonderful nutty flavour and the addition to the carrots – along with the curry leaves – makes the dish. From the Indian Bazaar again although they may be available more generally.
Indians fry some spices in ghee and add to food immediately before serving because some spices exuded their taste into oil better than into water. Ghee, if you have not used it before, is a clarified butter that you can make at home (see my web site) but most people purchase it. Supermarkets have it now days, but if you are going to the Indian Bazaar, pick some up there as well. It is a wonderful cooking medium that is much much healthier than margarine, butter or oil.
I find that the chillies, coriander and mint are flexible. Sometimes I add a little chilli, sometimes a lot. Sometimes I use a chilli oil instead, or fry a chilli with the mustard seeds and discard before adding to the carrots. I have used parsley instead of coriander, or a mixture of mint and parsley.
300 ml full fat yoghurt
2 medium carrots, grated
celtic sea salt to taste
0.5 Tblspn vegetable oil
1 tspn black mustard seeds
1 red chilli, optional
0.25 tspn asafoetida powder
fresh curry leaves, or dried ones at a pinch
fresh coriander or mint leaves, chopped
Whisk the yoghurt until it thickens a little. Not all yoghurts will thicken easily – if it does not respond to the whisking, don’t despair. It is equally as good, just use a little less. Add the grated carrot and salt. Mix well.
Heat the ghee in a frying pan and add the mustard seeds. Fry them until they begin to pop and then add the chillies, asafoetida powder and curry leaves. Move them around the pan for 15 – 30 seconds and then pour over the carrots. Finally, stir through the chopped coriander or mint leaves.
