വെള്ളരിക്ക പച്ചടി - tiny cucumber slices in coconut-yogurt sauce

This is one of the curries my mother makes. Its ingredients are almost the same as pullissery, except there is no turmeric, and mustard seeds are ground along with the coconut. My mother insists the winter melon (vellarika) be chopped into tiny pieces. The size of the chopped vegetables in various curries does matter to her. Though this is made with vellarika, I use zucchini squash when I don't get the former.

INGREDIENTS

1. 2 cups zucchini squash or winter melon(vellarika)(320 gms)
2. 1/2 cup coconut
3. 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
4. 1/4 tsp mustard seeds(1/2 tsp if you like the taste of ground mustard, which I like but my family does not)
5. 1 green chili
6. 1 small garlic clove
7. 1 Tbsp chopped onions
8. a few curry leaves
9. 1 cup whole milk yogurt
10. water as required
11. salt as required (1 tsp) plus more as per taste

For the seasoning:

1. 2 tsp oil
2. 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
3. 1 Tbsp chopped onion
4. a few curry leaves
5. 1 dried red chili

METHOD

• Chop the squash into tiny pieces. Put in the cooker with 1/4 cup water and cook on high for 1 whistle.
  
  
  
  

• Meanwhile, put all the ingredients 2-8, along with what, er, and grind, into a fine paste.
  
  
  
  

•  When the pressure has released naturally, open the cooker, add the coconut mixture, add salt, turn on the stove, and boil the mix for a minute. 
• In the same mixie jar, add the yogurt and blend well.
• Add this to the cooked coconut mixture. Turn off the stove. No need to boil the yogurt. It just needs to heat up.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Time for seasoning. Heat a pan and add oil; when the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds, let it splutter, and add the chopped onions, curry leaves, and red chili. Let the onions brown a little.
  
  
  
  

• Pour this into the yogurt mixture.
  

NOTES

•  I like to keep it thick. For Onam sadyas, I make it thick.