What is "pachadi"

Pachadi (, , ) refers to a traditional South Indian pickle used as side dish. Broadly translated, it refers to food which has been pounded. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, pachadi is a side dish curry similar to the North Indian achaar.

It is made of fresh vegetables and is served as an accompaniment for rice, snacks like idli, dosa, and pesarattu. Many kinds of vegetables are included. Sometimes the peel of a vegetable is used, such as the peel of ridged gourd known as beerapottu pachadi in Telugu. Telugu pickles (pachadis) are very hot and spicy to taste; the vegetables used are more or less raw or sautéed in peanut oil.