Cucumber - Jaggery Dosa & Guli Appa

Cucumber/Mullu southekai as we call it, is mainly used in salads and eaten raw. We do make use of it in curries, idli, roti or dosa.

Here I have prepared Sweet Dosa, using Cucumber, Bottle gourd and the normal dosa ingredients with jaggery.

Cucumber Jaggery Dosa turns soft once it is fully fermented. Soak rice for 2 to 3 hours and grind it with cucumber and strictly no water. The batter should be thick and you can add water if needed once you start preparing dosa the next day morning or after 5 to 5 hours.
This is one of the South Canara /Udupi recipe which my doddamma and amma used to prepare. Dosa turns soft and fluffy and very nice to have them for breakfast or as snack.
Let us see some benefits of having breakfast in the morning.
Breakfast is one of the best meal for the day. It gives energy for the whole day. It helps to strengthen  metabolism and helps you to concentrate at work.Eating breakfast is good for health. It helps for better memory and concentration, lowers the bad cholesterol and helps in increasing good cholesterol.
Let us see the recipe now :

Ingredients :

Raw Rice : 2 Cups
Urid dal : 1/2 Cup
Methi /Fenugrik seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Fresh grated coconut : 2 Tablespoons
Cucumber : 2 (Very small ones or 1 medium size)
Grated bottle gourd : 1 Small bowl. (1/2 bottle gourd of medium size)
Jaggery : 2 Tablespoons./Powdered
Salt : As required
Oil/ghee : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Method :

1. Wash and soak raw rice, urid dal and methi seeds together for 2 to 3 hours.

2. Grate coconut. Wash cucumber and cut into small pieces. Grate bottle gourd.

3. Now grind soaked rice-dal mixture with coconut,grated bottle gourd and cucumber till paste.

4. Add jaggery to the dough. Grind it for 2 minutes. Remove from mixi jar to a big bowl and add salt. Mix it well and let it ferment nicely till next morning/Overnight.

5. Mix the dough nicely.

6. Next morning see that dough is fermented well. Dough should be like normal dosa consistency.
7. Keep a pan on the fire and add very little oil and clean it with a kitchen tissue.
8. Take a ladle full of Cucumber jaggery dosa dough and pour it on the hot pan.

9. Do not spread much. Add oil on the top, cover and cook on medium flame for a minute.
10. Remove the cover and turn the dosa on the other side and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute.

11. Remove it from the pan. Dosa is ready to serve.

12. Serve it with a spoon of fresh ghee on the top of hot Cucumber jaggery dosa and a side dish of your wish.

Note :
The dough has to be fermented well or you will not get good dosas. So you need to see the dough is fermented well. Use of jaggery more /less is optional. Thick dosas taste better. Spreading and making it thin might tare and it will not come out of the pan. Let the flame be low while pouring the dough to the pan and then increase the flame to medium flame). I have used organic jaggery. Powder the jaggery and then add it. ( It is easy to grind powdered jaggery). Adding bottle gourd is optional. ( I have added grated bottle gourd while grinding along with cucumber). Time : Soaking the ingredients 3 hours + grinding 10 minutes and fermentation over night/6 to 7 hours.
Dosa preparation : 30 Minutes.
Serves : 3 to 4 .

You can also prepare Guli appa /guntponglu/kuli appam/paddu using the same dough. I added little grated carrots on the top of Guli appa.

Ragi & Rice Flour Spicy Rotti

Ragi/Finger millet is one of the healthy millet and is used more and more these days. I have prepared Ragi -Rice flour rotti and rotti is loved by many. Ragi Rice flour rotti tastes so Yummy.

Here I have tried Ragi/Finger millet flour and very little amount of rice flour which adds to the taste to rotti. Adding rice flour gives a crisp and yummy taste and it holds the rotti dough in good form.

I have also used botte gourd coconut, ondelag aleaves carrots, ginger and green chilly.

 It is always better to eat home cooked food. Use of spices also should be considered while cooking. Too many spices should not be eaten regularly.

Let us see some benefits of eating " Ginger " in our diet.

Ginger is one of the ancient spices. It is known for its health benefits. Ginger helps to boost bone health, strengthen our immune system. It helps to increase our appetite and prevent cancer. It helps to improve respiratory conditions and good for digestion. It is good for reducing excess gas and helps to relieve pains during menstrual periods in women. Good for nausea and flu. Ginger is known as oldest herbal medicine and used in traditional treatments. It is also good for curing inflammation and diarrhea.

No Onion  OR No Garlic is used in this " Ragi & Rice flour Spicy Rotti". 

Let us see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Ragi /Finger Millet  Flour : 2 Cups

Rice Flour : 1/2 Cup

Bottle Gourd : 1/2 of one medium sized Bottle gourd

Carrots : 2 

Green chilly : 1 

Ginger : An inch

Salt : As required 

Cooking Oil : 1/2 Cup

Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons

Curry Leaves : One handful.

Ondelaga /Gotukola Leaves : 1 Handful.

Method :

1. Wash and cut curry leaves, ondelaga leaves and coriander leaves.

2. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash it again. Dry grind it with washed green chilly and ondelaga leaves.

3. Remove it from the mixi jar. Grate coconut and keep it aside.

4. Wash and remove the outer layer of carrots, bottle gourd and grate it . Keep them aside.

5. Take a big bowl. Add Ragi and rice flour. Add ground ginger,green chilly and ondelaga leaves mixture.

6. Add grated coconut, carrots, cucumber and cut coriander leaves and curry leaves.

7. Add salt and mix it well. Add required water and mix it well. Let the dough be little thicker than idli dough. It is easy to spread it on the tava/pan.

8. Leave it for 5 minutes. 

9. Keep a tava/pan on the fire and heat. Sprinkle oil and clean it with a kitchen tissue.

10. Now take a handful of the dough and spread it on the tava in circle shape. 

11. Let it be equal spread. Sprinkle little oil on the top and cover the lid.

12. Let it cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle oil and cook the other side for 1 to 2 minutes. Let the flame to low and medium. (Or rotti turns as hard and chewy).

13. Remove the rotti from the pan and serve hot rotti with ghee/butter on the top and side dish of your choice;

14. Repeat the same and prepare rotti with remaining dough. 

Note : 

1. It is always better to eat this " Ragi & Rice flour rotti when it is hot. Adding ghee /butter adds to the taste. Use of oil more/less is optional. Use of onions or garlic is optional. Adding 1/2 cup of curd helps the rotti to be soft. Use of more green chilly is optional. You can use red chilly powder. You should cover the rotti while cooking. It helps the rotti to be very soft and cooks quickly. 

Time : 30 Minutes + 10 Minutes for preparations.

Serves : 3 to 4 .

Pan Fried Mangalore Cucumber Curry ( Sutta Southekai Huli)

Pan fried does mean, roasted/fried mangalore cucumber pieces on the dosa /cahapati tava. It is an old traditional, classic dish and it has its own signature. The curry is delicious and yummy.

Recently I was on Face book live and cooked Pan fried Mangalore Cucumber curry. I have shown how to prepare fresh masala powder for the curry. You can watch the video  here too.

Here in this recipe I have used black eyed beans (your choice of legume can be used).
Mangalore Cucumber/Bannada Southekai/Mangalore Southekai grows well in Dakshina Kannada and other parts of coastal line and Malenadu area. During the rainy season the rain does not stop and no vegetables grow during those rainy months, and you need to be prepare for these rainy season. So people used to grow these cucumbers, pumpkins and store. It used to be hanged in the rooms and even cow sheds. Hanging these vegetables stay for long duration. I have seen my doddappa and doddamma (mother's sister and her husband) used to grow these vegetables and even my father in law used to grow these vegetables during April and May. (Mostly in the paddy field).
My doddamma (amma's sister) is a good cook and she was the expert I can say. Even now I feel the taste of those dishes she used to prepare. Her name is Lakshmidevi who got married at the age of 14 and learnt cooking by seeing her mother in law.
Since I was grown up in doddamma's house I have seen her cooking style and remember all those days spent with her. This particular recipe I learnt it from her and prepared many times. Each time it tasted yummy and I am happy for that I can pen this and who wants to try and keep up the traditional dish to be alive.
This Cucumber which I have used is from our garden. I am very happy and thrilled. 
☺
Udupi Special : Authentic : Traditional    : Pan Fried Mangalore Cucumber Curry .

Let us see the recipe : No Onion OR No Garlic is used in this Curry. The spices are freshly roasted/fried and ground with fresh coconut grating to smooth paste.
Read, Try, Enjoy, Comment and Share please.

Things Needed :

To Cook :
Mangalore Cucumber : Mangalore Southekai : 1 (Medium size)
Moong/Toor Dal /Black Eyed beans or any other legumes.: 1/2 Cup
Methi /Fenugrik seeds : 5 to 6

To Grind :
Fresh Coconut : 1 Cup
Fresh roasted sambar powder : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Tamarind pulp : 1 Tablespoon

To Add :
Salt : As required
Seasoning : With mustard seeds, urid dal, curry leaves, ingh/Asafoetida and a red chilly with coconut oil.
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon

 Method :
1. Wash and cut Mangalore southekai into small pieces. Soak in water. (It helps to wash away the bitterness in Cucumber).

2. Soak tamarind in hot water. ( A small marble size). Remove the pulp after 5 minutes.
3. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
4. Dry roast or fry methi seeds 1/4 teaspoon, urid dal: 1/2 teaspoon, byadagi chilly 5 to 6, coriander seeds : 2 tablespoons and jeera in 1/2 teaspoon of coconut oil. Add a pinch of ingh and curry leaves.
5. Mix it well and dry grind and keep it aside.
6.Now keep a dosa pan on the fire and heat. Add 1 to 2 teaspoon of coconut oil and arrange cucumber pieces on the tava.
7. Let it cook on low flame. See that it does not burn too much.
8. Turn the other side and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

9. Put these pieces in a pressure cooker and cook for 2 to 3 whistles.
10. Cook the legume of your choice and keep it aside (You can cook along with cucumber).

11. Grind coconut, roasted/fried spice powder /spices and tamarind pulp with required water. Remove it from the mixi jar. Keep the mixture aside.

12. Put cooked dal /black eyed beans, cooked cucumber in a big bowl and add turmeric powder, salt and required water. Add a few seeds of methi. Mix it well and let it boil for 2 minutes.

13. Add ground coconut mixture and mix it well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Shift the curry to a serving dish. ( Add water if required).

14. Add mustard seeds seasoning and cut coriander leaves.

15, Serve with the main dish you have prepared.

Note : 

Fry Southe Kai pieces on low and medium flame. Use of coconut oil is optional. Using less or more oil is optional. Use of more or less chilly is optional. Use of any legume like channa, whole moong, cowpea, toor dal, moong dal is optional. Use any one of them. Adding urid dal while frying spices adds to the taste and thickness. You can use channa dal or raw rice is optional. Do not over cook southekai pieces. Adding onions and garlic is optional.
Time : 35 to 40 Minutes.
Serves : 4 to 5.




This Mangalore Cucumber grown on our terrace garden. Here are some pics of Southekai  which are seen in the plant.