Thothakura /Amaranthus Pachadi

Pachadi is a traditional South Indian side dish, broadly meaning any food that’s been pounded. It’s a type of pickle but is consumed with rice, as a curry. It's inclusion of yoghurt and fresh vegetables makes some liken it to the North Indian raita. Popular across the Southern Indian states, it has variations across different regions. For instance, Kerala and Tamil Nadu make it with chopped and boiled veggies, adding coconut, green chillies, and spices. In Karnataka, it's called thambuli and is made using raw veggies. In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana it's made with different local vegetables, but instead of boiling them, they’re used al dente.

Thothakura or Amaranthus is a leafy green vegetable of the spinach family, and a prime ingredient of the pachadi. To make it, one first needs to cook the amaranthus leaves in oil, adding tamarind, turmeric powder, and salt. Add this mixture to a blender along with chillies, garlic, and water as required. Then cook this mixture in oil, mustard seeds, cumin, chana dal, urad dal, fenugreek seeds, chillies, garlic, curry leaves, and onion.

Amaranthus leaves come with several health benefits, including being high in antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins, and low in calories. Its fibres help control cholesterol and aid with weight management. It is packed with iron, essential for red blood cell production and metabolism activity. A rich source of vitamin C, it also helps fight infections and keep up overall immunity. Its high potassium content also helps regulate heart rate and blood pressure.