Keera Dosakaya Pachadi

Sweet and sour cucumber chutney made with keera dosakaya. This Andhra style pachadi is easy to make and absolutely delicious. It is sour with the addition of tamarind and sweet with the jaggery.

Sesame seeds and sambar powder add a nice balance to this Indian green cucumber pachadi. A perfect accompaniment to any South Indian meal.

About the Recipe

Pachadi or chutney is an important part of most Indian meals. Spicy condiments like this carrot chutney or this tomato nilava pachadi are a staple in my home.

Here I have a sweet and sour cucumber chutney. This pachadi recipe uses green cucumber or keera dosakaya which is widely available in all grocery stores here in the US.

I mostly use keera or English cucumber in salads and raita but rarely in my cooking. So this is a delicious variation for us. Recipe is from "Cooking with Pedatha" cookbook.

Cucumber is cooked lightly with tamarind, jaggery and sesame seed powder. This gives the dish a sweet, sour and deliciously savory flavor. Serve with rice or roti and dal for a tasty meal.

Ingredients

For the details of the exact quantities of each ingredient and the list of ingredients needed, check the printable recipe card below.

Here are the ingredients you need to make this chutney:

• Green Cucumber aka keera dosakaya or English cucumber. You can also use Persian cucumbers - pick
• Tamarind pulp - easy to make by soaking tamarind in warm water. Then squeeze out the pulp discarding the fibers.
• Jaggery - you can grate a block of jaggery or (conveniently) use jaggery powder.
• Toasted sesame powder - Lightly toast sesame seeds until lightly golden. Then grind to a coarse powder.
• Sambar powder - either homemade or store-bought. I sometimes use MTR brand sambar powder

Other ingredients you need are:

• Urad dal
• Mustard seeds
• Dry red chilies
• Asafetida/ hing
• Green chilies, curry leaves and cilantro

Instructions

For the detailed instructions on how to make the recipe with exact timings, check the printable recipe card below.

Here is how to make cucumber chutney recipe:

If using regular American cucumber, then peel them because it has a thicker skin than English cucumber. Thinly slice into 1" long pieces or ½" cubes.

Heat oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add urad dal, mustard seeds, dry red chilies and cook till the dal is golden and seeds start to splutter.

Add asafetida, curry leaves and cook for a minute. Next add the chopped cucumbers and cook for 2~3 minutes.

Add the turmeric, tamarind pulp, sambar powder, jaggery and sesame seed powder. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes or until crisp tender. Add salt just before switching off the flame. Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve with rice and a curry for a complete meal.

Expert Tips

• You can use any variety green cucumber to make this chutney.
• Depending on the thickness of the skin, you might want to peel it to use in the recipe. If using American cucumber, then peel the waxy, thick skin. But if using English or Persian cucumber, you don't have to.
• To make tamarind pulp - soak a lemon size ball of tamarind in some warm water for 10 minutes. This will soften the tamarind. Then using your fingers, squeeze the tamarind to extract the pulp into the water. Discard any fibers and use the pulp.
• To make toasted sesame seed powder, toast sesame seeds in a dry pan. Cook on medium-low heat until the seeds turn golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool. Then grind in a spice blender or small grinder until coarse. Don't blend for too long, sesame seeds will turn to paste.
• Feel free to use homemade or store-bought sambar powder.
• Store any leftover dosakaya chutney in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Variations

Here are a few variations for this cucumber pachadi:

• Use sweet pumpkin instead of cucumber to make gummadikaya pulusu pachadi
• To make Vankaya pulusu pachadi - roast a large eggplant/ brinjal until tender either on stove or in a 400°F oven. Peel the skin and mash the pulp well with a fork. Follow the recipe as written and add cooked eggplant in the end.
• If you have baby eggplant, then quarter them and use in the recipe. Make sure to let the eggplant cook until tender.

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Recipe Card