Pineapple Pachadi

 Pachadi is another regular dish in a traditional Kerala sadya. An authentic dish that can be made using various fruits and vegetables. Pineapple pachadi  is my favourite pachadi, the sweet and sour taste it imparts is really drool worthy. Regarding the method of making the pachadi, again the recipe varies in different parts of Kerala. The recipe I am sharing is how my mom makes it. The addition of ghee and jaggery is her variation while making this pachadi, as usually ghee and jaggery are not added in the traditional way of  making pachadi. But I personally love the taste it imparts to the dish and hence this is my favourite recipe. You can skip adding ghee and jaggery and proceed with the remaining recipe for the authentic way of making the dish, but I recommend to give this a try...it's really yummy.

Ingredients

1 cup finely chopped ripe pineapple

1/2 cup grated coconut

1/4 tsp cumin seeds/jeerakam

2 green chillies(adjust according to spice level)

a pinch of turmeric powder

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 cup yoghurt

1/4 tsp black pepper powder

1/2 tsp ghee(optional)

1/2 to 1 tsp grated jaggery(optional)

salt to taste

For seasoning

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

few curry leaves

1/4 tsp fenugreek powder

Method

•  Take a heavy bottomed pan and cook the pineapple with little salt and turmeric in half a cup of water on a medium low flame.
• Cook covered  until the pineapple is cooked well. Once cooked cook without lid until the water is absorbed.
• Add the ghee and jaggery(if the pineapple is not very sweet, then only jaggery should be added. Or else, you can skip adding the jaggery) and saute well until the water is totally absorbed and the mixture is somewhat dry.
• Grind the coconut, cumin, green chilli and mustard in yoghurt into a smooth paste.
• Add the grinded paste and salt (check and add, as we have already added little salt to the pineapple before) to the pineapple mixture and mix everything well.
• Cook on a low flame for about 10 minutes. 
• Remove from heat and keep aside.
• For seasoning, heat coconut oil in a small kadai. Add the mustard seeds. Once it splutters add the curry leaves and fenugreek powder. 
• Remove from heat and pour this on the prepared pineapple pachadi. Cover immediately with a tight lid.
• Leave it undisturbed for 5 minutes. Then mix and serve.

Cream Carrot Sandwich

An ideal sandwich to go into the kids lunchbox. A sandwich that is loaded with the richness of vitamin A from the carrots and so creamy and yummy that can be prepared quickly on those hasty mornings, packed and sent to school.  My friend Nalini, from Sri Lanka had shared this recipe with me many years before and since then this is one sandwich that goes weekly once into my kids lunchbox.

Ingredients
4 slices of sandwich bread
1 carrot, grated fine
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
2 Tbsp fresh cream
1 Tbsp softened butter
a pinch of sugar
salt to taste
1/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper

Method

•  In a bowl mix the mayonnaise, butter, cream, sugar, salt and pepper well. 
• Add the grated carrot to this and mix everything well. The spread is ready.
• Spread the prepared carrot spread on two bread slices and top with the other two bread slices.
• Trim the edges of the sandwiches, cut into triangles or rectangles and serve.
• You can even add a layer of fresh icerberg lettuce to the sandwich, it gives that crunchy and fresh feel with every bite.

*Vegetarians can use eggless mayonnaise.