Cucumber curd raitha / Vellarikkai thayir pachadi

Raitha is an wonderful accomplishment for biryani and pulao. It can be served with phulkas, chapathis and rotis too along with other side dish. Adding cucumber to curd makes a flavorful raitha. Unlike other raitha, this need to be tempered which gives an unique taste.

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Here is the step by step to make raitha:

1. In a mixer, add grated coconut, ginger and green chillies.

2. Grind to a smooth paste by adding little water. Wash and cut the ends of cucumber. Grate it in a big hole grater.

3. In a bowl, whisk curd until there is no lumps and are smooth. Add the ground paste.

4. Now add grated cucumber, salt and mix them well. Keep aside.

5. In a stove, heat a small saucepan. Add coconut oil. When it heats up add mustard seeds and wait until it crackles. Add hing and switch off the flame.

6. Now add the tempering to the curd mixture and serve.

A small video to make raitha:

Here comes the full recipe:

Ingredients:

Cucumber - 1
Curd - 2 cups
Salt - to taste

To grind:

Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Ginger - 1"
Green chilli - 2

To temper:

Coconut oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Hing/Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

How to make:

1. In a mixer, add grated coconut, ginger and green chilli and grind to a smooth paste by adding little water.

2. In a bowl, whisk curd until there is no lumps and are smooth. 

3. Wash and cut the ends of cucumber. Grate it in a big hole grater.

4. Now add grated cucumber, salt and the ground coconut paste and mix them well. Keep aside.

5. In a stove, heat a small saucepan. Add oil. When it heats up add mustard seeds and wait until it crackles. Add hing and switch off the flame.

6. Now add the tempering to the curd mixture.

7. Serve with biryani, chapathis and phulkas.

Note:

1. Don't use sour curd. Use fresh curd to make this raitha.

2. Adjust green chillies according to your spice level.

Carrot kheer in Instant pot

Kheer or payasam is a type of pudding made by boiling milk and sugar with either one of rice, semiya/vermicelli, millets, broken wheat, poha, carrot, almonds, tapioca pearls and topped with cashews, almonds, pistachios, dessicated coconut, cardamom, raisins, saffron.

Today I am preparing with carrots.

How to make:
1. Soak almonds in water for about an hour to peel skin off.

2. Wash and peel carrots. Cut both the ends. 

3. Cube them into chunks. Peel off the skin from almonds just by holding it and twisting in between your fingers.

4. Turn ON an instant pot, press SAUTE.

5. Add 1/2 cup of water first so that milk doesn't stick on the bottom. Don't skip that. 

6. Now add milk, carrot chunks and almonds.

6. Close the lid. Press CANCEL. PRESSURE COOK for 2 min with vent in SEALING position. Leave it to natural pressure release(NPR). Open the lid. Using your hand blender, you can blend the hot ingredients to blend smoothly inside the instant pot. If you don't have blender, let it cool to room temperature and grind them to a smooth paste and transfer to the pot again.

7. Add sugar and cardamom powder. Press SAUTE, let them again simmer for 2 minutes.

9. If you want them thick, don't add water. If you want little bit runny add water and simmer for 2 mins.

A small video to make this kheer:

Here comes the full recipe:

Ingredients:

Carrots - 500g

Whole milk - 1l/4 cups

Cane sugar - 1/2 cup

Almonds - 1/4 cup

Cane sugar - 1/2 cup

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Water - 1/2 cup

How to make:
1. Soak almonds in water for about an hour to peel skin off.

2. Wash and peel carrots. Cut ends and cube them into chunks.
3. Turn ON an instant pot, press SAUTE.

4. Add 1/2 cup of water first so that milk doesn't stick on the bottom. Don't skip that.

5. Peel off the skin from almonds just by holding it and twisting in between your fingers.

6.. Now add milk, carrot chunks and almonds.

6. Close the lid. Press CANCEL. PRESSURE COOK for 2 min with vent in SEALING position. Leave it to natural pressure release(NPR).

7. Open the lid. Using your hand blender, you can blend the hot ingredients to blend smoothly inside the instant pot. If you don't have blender, let it cool to room temperature and grind them to a smooth paste and transfer to the pot again.

8. Add sugar and cardamom powder. Press SAUTE, let them again simmer for 2 minutes.

9. If you want them thick, don't add water. If you want little bit runny add water and simmer for 2 mins.

Note:

1. Almonds are used as a thickening agent to this kheer. If you don't have almonds use cashews of the same quantity.

2. Adjust sugar according to your taste buds.

3. If you are allergic to nuts or you don't like them, just simply omit it and do the same process. But your kheer will little watery.

4. You can add nuts of your choice too. But I omitted it here.