COCONUT RAITA (KOBBARI PERUGU PACHADI)

The dish originates in the Telugu speaking belt of the sub – continent (States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh) and is served with steamed rice balls (undrallu) or Pongol (a rice and lentil dish spiced with pepper and ginger)

Coconut raita or Kobbari Perugu Pachadi

INGREDIENTS

Grated coconut – 1 cup (frozen is fine – just thaw)

Tomato – 1 medium

Greek style yoghurt – 2 cups

Ginger – 2 centimetre piece, finely chopped

Green chilli – 1 deseeded and finely chopped

Sugar – a couple of pinches

Lemon juice – a teaspoon

Salt to taste

Vegetable oil – 2 teaspoons

Mustard seeds- 1 teaspoon

Asafoetida – a pinch (optional)

Urad dhal – ½ teaspoon (optional)

Dried red chillies – 1 deseeded and cut into 2 pieces

METHOD

Whisk the yoghurt with sugar, lemon juice and salt. Grate the tomato into the yoghurt (discard the skin). Toss the coconut, ginger and green chilli in the yoghurt and mix well.

Heat the oil in a small saucepan. Add the urad dhal and when the dhal turns pale brown, add the mustard seeds, dried red chilli and asafoetida. Stir and let the mustard seeds crackle and pop before turning the heat off.

Mix this seasoning with the yoghurt and coconut. Serve with upma.

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