Cucumber Dal

Cucumber Dal is a gravy dish. This Cucumber dal goes well with almost all dishes like plain or masala rice, chapatis, idli, dosa etc. This can be prepared quickly and taste really nice. Normally cucumber is used as raw with salads, raitha (along with curd) and chutneys etc.

 Lets see some benefits of eating cucumber.
Cucumber contain mostly water and eating them on a hot summer day definitely help you and take care of you from dehydrated. It also contain Vitamin K and Vitamin B. Cucumber is a rich source of minerals like copper, potassium, vitamin C and manganese. Cucumbers contain anti inflammatory compound and it helps to take care of  our brain health. It helps to improve our memory and protecting our nerve cells. Cucumber helps to fight inflammation. Cucumbers contain numerous anti oxidants including Vitamin C and beta carotene. It helps to freshen our breath. According to Ayurveda, eating cucumber will help to release excess heat in our stomach which is the reason for the bad breath. Cucumbers contain multiple B Vitamins and they help to reduce the feeling of anxiety and stress. They are rich in water and in soluble fiber and it help to support the digestive system.
Cucumber Dal is easy to prepare and No Onion or No Garlic in this curry. I have used dal, some simple spices and little milk is added.

Things Needed : 

Cucumber : 2 to 3
Green Chilly : 2
Toor dal : 1 Small cup
Ginger : 1 Teaspoon 
Milk : 1 Small cup
Oil : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Ingh : a pinch
Turmeric Powder : a pinch
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander Leaves : 1 to 2 Tablespoons
Salt : as required 

Method :

1. Wash and pressure cook toor/moong dal for at least 5 to 6 minutes. Leave it for cooling.

2. Wash and cut cucumber, green chilly, coriander leaves and keep it aside. Crush pepper pods and keep it aside. 

3. Wash ginger,  remove the outer skin and then wash again and grate and keep it aside.
4. Now Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds and let it splutter.
5. Add jeera, crushed pepper and ingh.
6. Add cut cucumber and fry for 1 minute. Add water and let it cook till soft.

7. Add cooked dal, green chilly, turmeric powder and salt. Mix it well.

8. Add grated ginger and cook for 2 minutes. (on low flame).

9. Add a cup of boiled milk and mix it again. Let it cook for a minute.

 10. Shift the dish to a serving bowl and add cut coriander leaves and ghee.  

11. Cucumber Dal is ready to serve. Serve with hot rice or chapati or  wish of your main dish.
12. Mix it again just before you serve.

Note :

Cut cucumber with skin and cook. Add dals and other spices when it is half cooked. Adding milk is optional. No lemon or tamarind is added to this curry. (optional). Adding onions or garlic is optional. Adding any other spices like garam masala or chat masala is also optional.
Wash cucumber thoroughly and keep them in water at least half an hour and then wash it again. It helps to remove the pesticide or chemical on any vegetable.
Time : 3o Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3

Healthy Vegetable Salad

Salad can be prepared using many vegetables. It has become a healthy attitude for people to have salads instead of meals. It is really good. It keeps you healthy and active.It can be eaten at any time of the day...Even as chat you can have them in the evening.
I have used corn, carrots, cucumber, tomato and olive oil. Topped with mango gratings.
Lets see the benefits of Corn and Olive oil.
Sweet corn is gluten free cereal and fresh sweet corn has much less calories.They are full of dietary fiber, vitamins and antioxidants and minerals. It contains good levels of B-complex group of vitamins. and healthy amount of minerals like zinc, magnesium, copper, iron and manganese.
Olive Oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids.Olive oil is rich in antioxidants with Vitamin E  which helps to minimizes the cancer. risk. Regular consumption of olive oil can help to decrease blood pressure. Olive has is good for diet, it is low saturated and moderately rich in carbohydrates and soluble fiber. It helps to lower the blood sugar level, it controls and enhances insulin sensitivity. It also helps to reduce the obesity.
This salad is free of onion or garlic. We can even stuff them in chapatis and have Salad Chapati Roll.
Here is a recipe which is to prepare and yummy to have.

Ingredients :

Corn : 1 Cob
Carrots : 2
Cucumber : 2
Tomatoes : 2
Olive Oil : 2 Tea spoons
Salt : required (black salt or rock salt also can be used)
Green chilly : 1
Totapuri Mango  Gratings :  3 to 4 Table spoons

Method : 

1.Wash and scrape out the outer layer of carrots and grate it.

2. Wash and boil corn cob and remove the corn from it.
3. Cut tomatoes, cucumber green chilly into thin and keep it aside.Grate mango and keep it aside.

4. Take a big bowl and put all the ingredients. Mix it well.

5. Add oil oil and mix it slowly.
6. Shift the salad and top up with grated totapuri mango.

7. You can have Chapati Salad Roll also.

Note :

You can use pomegranate also. They adds to the taste. Coriander leaves, mint leaves and fresh tender palak (spinach) leaves also can be added. Parsley leaves are added normally.  Adding onions and garlic is optional. I have not added. It is said that cut onions should not be kept for a long time.
Time : 10 minutes
Servings : 3 to 4

Cucumber Rava Idli -Mango Chutney

Spicy cucumber Rava Idli is a main dish and we can have them for breakfast, as evening snack or for dinner. Cucumber, green chilly, coriander leaves and coconut are used with rava to prepare Spicy Cucumber Rava Idli.

Rava is a tummy filling and it is digested slowly, it keeps you filled for a long time. Good for the people who want to shed their extra weight. It is also good for diabetic people.

Cucumber is a good source of potassium. It contain Vitamin C, Vitamin A and a high amount of Vitamin K. It contains anti oxidants. It also regulates blood pressure. Cucumber helps to normalize body temperature. It also helps the patience who are suffering from gastric. It also helps to grow a healthy hair and treat skin aliments.
Here is a recipe of  "Spicy Cucumber Rava Idli ", and Totapuri Mango chutney,  which can be prepared it easily and the whole family will enjoy having these idly.

Cucumber Rava Idli 

Things Needed:
Medium Size Rava :  3 Cups
Curd : 1/2 Cup
Cucumber : 1 Medium size
Coconut : 2 Table spoons
Green chilly : 1
Coriander leaves : 1 Handful
Jeera : 1 Tea spoon
Pepper Pods : 3 to 4
Oil : 1 Tea spoon
Salt : To taste
Water : Required
Pomegranate : 2 Table spoons
Eno salt: 1/2 Tea spoon

Method :

1. Mix curd with 1/2 Cup of water and mix rava, salt in that curd mixture. Leave it aside.

2. Wash green chilly, cucumber and coriander leaves. Cut cucumber in to small.

3. Grate coconut , grind grated coconut, cucumber, chilly and coriander leaves with very little water.

4. Mix this ground mixture with  rava and mix it well.

 5. Oil the the idli plates, put a spoon of pomegranate in each mould. Keep  idli cooker on the fire. Put a glass of water.

6.  Add Eno to the Rava mixture and put a spoon of idli dough to each mould in the idli plate.

7. Arrange the plates in the idli stand and keep it in the idli cooker. Cook for 10 minutes.

8. Put off the fire and remove the idli from the plates. Arrange them in serving dish.

9.  Serve these Cucumber rava Idli with side dish of your choice.

10. I Serve Cucumber Rava Idli with Totapuri Mango Chutney and the combination is really tasty.

Note :

You can dry roast rava before using. ( I did not do). You can add more chilly and pepper. Taste differ. Using more cucumber will turn idli more soft. Using coconut is your choice. Using Eno also is optional. (I used Eno). You can use grated carrots or fresh pea pods and cashew nuts to top up the idli.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 5.

Totapuri Mango Chutney

Wash and cut Totapuri( Half ripe),  add grated fresh coconut, roasted methi and red chilly, coriander leaves and salt. Grind together with little water and ingh. Shift this ground chutney and give a mustard splutter and serve with Cucumber Rava Idli. It is a good combination. Do not add any tamarind or lemon.

Roasted Methi Seeds

Roasted Red chilly and curry leaves.

Cut Mangoes (Totapuri)

Ready to grind  Mango and coconut mixture

                     Ready to Serve Mango Chutney                      

                

Ready to Serve Cucumber Rava idli and Mango Chutney

 

 

    

Cucumber Sasive and Sasive Chapati

Cucumber is one of the very low calorie vegetable and no saturated fats or cholesterol. Cucumber peel is a good source of dietary fiber that helps reduce constipation. It is a very good source of potassium. Here I have tried cucumber sasive which  is very famous in Udupi and Dakshina Kannada side. This is one of the side dish and we can have them with chapatis, pooris or rotis and goes very well with plain rice.
I have tried  Masala chapatis using the same sasive and since it contain spice, you can have them with curd.
Things Needed : 
Cucumber: 2 (Medium size)
Red Chilly : 2 to 3
Mustard seeds:  1/2 Tea spoon
Coconut: 2 to 3 Table spoons
Ingh : a pinch
Salt : Required
Curd : 1/2 Cup

Method :
1. Wash and cut cucumber and grate coconut.
2. Now grind coconut, mustard seeds, ingh red chilly and cucumber together till paste consistency. Add little water if required.
3. Add salt and grind for 10 seconds
4. Now put the ground mixture in a bowl and add curd and mix well.
Serve Cucumber Sasive with with hot rice or chapatis
Note : You can add spurt mustard seeds to the sasive. ( put mustard seeds in a pan and add  1/2  tea spoon of mustard seeds. Let it spurt.  Add curry leaves and ingh to it and add it to Cucumber sasive). You can also use tamarind pulp instead of curd. Add the pulp while grinding all the ingredients.
Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves: 2 to 3
                                                        Cucumber Sasive Masala Chapatis.
Things Needed: 
Cucumber Sasive: 1/2 cup
Wheat flour: 2 Cups
Salt : Required
Chilly powder : 1/2 Tea spoon
Jeera : 1 Tea spoon
Water: required
Oil: 4 to 5 Table spoons

Method:
1. Put Cucumber Sasive in a big bowl.
2. Add wheat flour slowly and add salt, jeera, chilly powder and 1 table spoon of oil and mix it well.
3. Add required water and prepare chapati dough.
4. Now divide the dough in to small balls and roll the chapatis.
5. Keep a tava on the fire. Heat and sprinkle oil on the tava.
6. Now put rolled out chapati and cook on both sides.
7. You can use little oil on both side.
Repeat the same with the remaining dough.
Serve hot Masala Chapatis with any curry or Curd.
Note : Fresh sasive must be used. You can add garam masala instead of red chilly. You can also apply ghee while serving. Hot Masala Chapatis taste better.
Time : 20 minutes.
Serves: 2

Cucumber Spicy and Sweet Dosa...

Cucumber Spicy and Sweet dosa is a healthy food and  good to have for break fast or in the evening as snack..

CUCUMBER SPICY DOSA

Things needed: 

Rava ( Semolina , medium sized ) 2 cups.

Milk : 1/2 Cup. 

Cucumber : 1 medium sized.

Coconut : Fresh and grated : 1/2 cup.

Green chilly : 1 to 2

Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 table spoons.

Curry leaves : 2  Table spoons.

Salt : to taste.

Oil: 4 to 5 Table spoons.

Water : Required 

Method :  Cut coriander leaves, curry leaves , green chillies and keep it aside.  Grate cucumber and keep it aside. Take a bowl and put Rava , salt , green chillies , curry leaves and coriander leaves.  Put  required water and 1/2 cup of milk and mix it together. Put grated fresh coconut. Mix it nicely and keep it aside for 10 minutes. Now add grated cucumber and  prepare dosas . 

Keep a pan on the fire. Heat the tava and put a tea spoon of oil.( Sprinkle).  Now take a spoon of Rava dosa mix and spread it on the tava slowly . Do not spread a lot . Let it be  a handful size. Put 1 spoon of oil and cover with lid and cook  on  medium flame for 1 minute and turn and cook it on other side. Remove the dosa from the tava and serve with a  spoon of ghee and any side dish of your favourite.  Repeat  the same with remaining dough and cook  SPICY CUCUMBER DOSAS.

CUCUMBER SWEET DOSA

Things Needed : 

Rava : 2 cups.

Jaggery : 2 to 3 Table spoons.

Salt : Required.

Milk : 1/2 cup

Cucumber : 1 ( Medium sized).

Coconut : 1/2 cup.

Ghee or oil : 3 to 4 Table spoons.

Water : Required .

Method: 

Grate cucumber and put it in a bowl. Add Rava , milk, salt,  grated coconut , jaggery  and required water. Mix nicely and keep it for Ten minutes and then  prepare Dosas  and serve  Hot Sweet  cucumber dosas  with little ghee on the top of  the dosa. 

Note : The dosa dough should not be very watery or too thick too. Let it be like idli dough consistency. Prepare dosas on medium flame and see that it does not get burn. You can also add  two  table spoons of wheat flour  to the dough . So that dosa taste soft and nice. You can also add onions to the  spicy dosa, but it taste different.  

Serves  : 2 to 3

Rice - Cucumber Akki Rotti

Rice Rotti is always loved by most. I just thought of using Cucumber ( Manglore soute kai ) instead of onions to rice flour and prepare Rotti. It turned soft and tasty. Rice cucumber rotti is good for breakfast, snack and for dinner too.

Mangalore Southekai/bannada southekai or Saambar southe kai (Curry cucumber) is largely used in South Canara or Dakshina Kannada.
Rice flour, Mangalore Southekai, coconut, coriander leaves, curry leaves, green chilly and salt is used  for this rotti.
Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Rice Flour -: 2 cups
Cucumber : 1/2 ( medium size).
Coconut: 1/2 Cup
Curry Leaves : Handful
Coriander leaves : Handful
Salt : to taste
Oil: 1/2 Cup

Method :

1. Wash and cut coriander leaves, coriander leaves.
2. Wash and remove the outer skin of Mangalore southe kai and put in water for 5 minutes.
3. Now grind southekai, coconut with little water. Remove from the mixi jar.

4. Now take a big bowl and put rice flour, ground southekai mixture and salt.
5. Add cut coriander leaves and curry leaves. Mix it nicely.

6. Keep a tava on the fire. Heat it. Sprinkle oil (half teaspoon) on the tava.
7. Take a handful of rotti dough and spread it nicely and thin.
8. Sprinkle little oil on the top and cover and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on low and medium flame.

9. Turn the other side and cook for 1 minute. Turn the other side again.

10. Just sprinkle little chutney powder if you like.

11. Remove from the pan and put it on a serving plate.
12. Add little ghee on the top and serve.

Note :

You can prepare this rotti by grinding raw rice. (Wash and soak 2 cups of rice in water and grind it after an hour into rava consistency. Then use it as rotti dough). No need to add any chilly to the dough. This rotti should be soft and without any masala. Adding chutney powder on the top of rotti is optional.

Time : 30 minutes if using rice flour. If soaked raw rice is to be used it takes  1 : 30 minutes.

Serves : 3 to 4 .