Paratha & Pachadi -- a match made in heaven . . .

I've come down to the good ole 'no this weekend to spend some quality time with my mom, who is a pachadi queen. For those of you who aren't in the know (bad pun on words, really), pachadis are like chutneys but less watery. To me they're a bit like a spread, often combining a fresh or cooked vegetable with peppers and spice. They're loaded with flavor and are served with rice or breads. This weekend, my mom showed off her most recent concoction. A yam pachadi! She even gave me a quick-and-easy cauliflower paratha recipe to boot. Thanks, Mom!

Cauliflower Paratha

1 cup grated cauliflower
1/8 tsp cayenne or ground red pepper
2 kari leaves
1 tsp chopped cilantro
1/2 c. durum flour or regular whole wheat flour
3-4 tbsp water
1 tsp thirugamatha*
vegetable oil
salt

the thirugamatha:
I'm using the Telugu word for this, but there's different words in various languages for this flavorful oil, which is added to many South Indian dishes. To make this, you need:

2 tbsp vegetable oil (preferably canola)
1/4 black mustard seeds
1/4 cumin seeds
1-2 dried red peppers, broken in half

Heat oil on high. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds to the oil and cover to keep from splattering. Cook until the mustard seeds and cumin pop. Remove from heat and add pepper pieces.

making the bread dough:
Combine the cauliflower, pepper, kari leaves, cilantro, thirugamatha and salt. Add the flour and mix in the water 1 tablespoon at a time until all the ingredients of the dough are well-incorporated. Dough should hold together but should still be moist. Divide the dough and form into balls.

putting it together:
Spread out a piece of waxed paper on a work surface and sprinkle with oil. Using oiled fingers, flatten the dough balls into circles. The circles should be 1/4 inch thick. Coat a griddle pan with one tsp of oil and heat. Cook one paratha at a time on low, flipping the paratha to make sure it has cooked through and the paratha is a golden brown color. Each side takes about 2 minutes to brown.

Yam Pachadi

1 cup cubed red-skinned yam
1 serrano pepper
1 tsp tamarind pulp juice
1/8 tsp cumin seeds
1/8 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp chopped cilantro
1/4 tsp thirugamatha
1/4 salt or to taste
vegetable oil

Blend cumin and coriander seeds in a spice mill until smooth powder. Lightly coat a small pan with vegetable oil and heat to medium. Saute pepper until browned on the outside. Add the spice mix, tamarind, cilantro, thirugamatha, and salt to the pepper and saute together for one more minute. Remove from heat and put the mixture into a small food processor. Add the yams and process until well-incorporated but still slightly chunky.

Serve the Cauliflower Paratha with the Yam Pachadi and a bit of plain yogurt on the side. Enjoy!