As temperatures rise, incorporate cucumber in your diet with these easy recipes

As temperatures soar in the metropolis, a city-based chef shares two easy-to-make and flavourful recipes using this cooling vegetable

Kakdicha korda 

INGREDIENTS
. 2 medium cucumbers (peeled and grated)
. 1/3 cup chickpea flour
For tempering       
. 2 tbsp groundnut oil
. 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
.  A fat pinch of strong asafoetida
. 1 green chili, chopped
. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
. 1/4 tsp red chili powder
. Salt to taste

Keertida Phadke

METHOD
Squeeze out the water from the grated cucumbers and make a paste with 1/3 cup of chickpea flour. You might need to add more water depending on how juicy the cucumbers are and how runny you prefer the korda. Tip the grated cucumber in a pan and sauté on medium-high heat for about five minutes — since this vegetable can be consumed raw, all you want to do is soften it. Add salt to taste. Now add the chickpea flour and combine. If you are making korda for the first time, adjust the water once you sauté the mixture for a bit. Cover and cook for six to seven minutes. Serve with rice or rotis.

Kakdicha kayras

Pics Courtesy/Keertida Phadke

INGREDIENTS
. 2 cups tavsa cucumber (the dark green variant)        
For the mustard dressing
. 2 tbsp red mustard seeds
.  1/2 to 1 tsp jaggery
. 1/2 tsp red chili powder
For tempering
. 1 tbsp groundnut oil
. 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
. 10-12 fenugreek seeds
. A pinch of asafoetida
.  1/8 tsp turmeric powder
. 1-2 tbsp roasted and ground peanuts (optional)

METHOD
Prepare the mustard powder by grinding two tbsp of red mustard seeds along with 1/2 tsp jaggery and two to three tbsp of water. In a bowl, whisk the mixture till it gets frothy and smells zippy. In another bowl, combine two cups of deseeded and chopped cucumber with 1/2 tsp red chili powder and 1/2 to 1 tsp jaggery with salt according to taste. Add the mustard dressing over the cucumbers, and combine. Now, prepare a tempering of 1 tbsp groundnut oil, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 10 to 12 fenugreek seeds, a pinch of asafoetida, 1/8 tsp turmeric powder and a pinch of red chilli powder. Pour this over the cucumber mixture and mix. The cucumbers might release water. If the final mixture feels too watery, add one to two tbsp of roasted and ground peanuts before serving.

Recipes courtesy: Keertida Phadke, Chef

Other ways to savour the juicy vegetable 

The good ol’ sandwich

Cut the edges of bread slices and make a mix of cream cheese, tuna, dill leaves, salt and pepper, red chilli flakes. Spread this mix on the bread, cover it with thin slices of cucumber and a healthy sandwich is ready.

A cooling drink

With a scrapper, make fine slices of cucumber (the dark green variant) and place them then ice cold water, so that they curl up a little. Rim your glass with a mix of salt, red chilli powder and chaat masala. Add soda, ice, cucumber slices and lemon juice. You can add guava juice, watermelon juice or kokum juice to incorporate more flavours.

Healthy snack 

Take cucumbers and cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. This exercise should form a long hollow in the cucumber. In a separate bowl, mix cream cheese, onions, chopped basil, salt and pepper. Mix it all well. Put the mixture in a piping bag and pipe it out in the cucumber hollow. Garnish with spring onions greens and serve.

Tips courtesy: Reshma Mane, chef

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