Cucumbers belong to the same plant family as squash, pumpkin, and watermelon. Like watermelon, cucumbers are made up of mostly (95 percent) water. This means eating them on a hot summer day can help you stay hydrated.
Yellow Cucumber
Generally, the variety of cucumber used in this dal is called Yellow Cucumber. It comes in multiple shades of greens or yellows – plain or mottled. It was one of the very few vegetables that grew in the harsh summer heat of the Deccan Plateau. And when I mean ‘harsh’, I am sugar coating my words. Often, temperatures would rise to 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius). We had just 2 seasons: Mild Summer (aka winter) and Severe Summer. Severe Summer persisted almost all year round!
Dosakaya – Yellow Cucumber
Lentils & Veggies
Especially for those who are not too familiar with Indian lentil dishes, I like to classify Indian lentil and veggie dishes into three categories. First is a curry which has more veggies, less lentils and is mostly a dry dish. Interestingly, this type of dish is referred to as ‘Pappu-Kura’ in Telugu and literally means dal-curry. The second variety is dal – thick and mushy or somewhat lesser in consistency. Last, but not least, is the runny kind of dish which is more like a soup. Because they are a great source of protein, Indian vegetarian food includes a lot of lentils.
Cucumber Dal
Like most other dals, this recipe has lentils and vegetables. To prep cucumber, peel the skin and discard seeds and cut it into small cubes. The skin can be made into a delicious chutney, so don’t trash it! Check out our delicious butternut squash skin recipe here. To ensure that I don’t overcook veggies, I soak lentils for at least an hour. I always cook lentils and/or veggies separately and then add them to seasoning. Traditional recipes call for dal to be cooked separately – this is what brings out the authentic flavor.
With vitamin K, B vitamins, copper, potassium, vitamin C, and manganese, cucumbers can help you to avoid several nutrient deficiencies. Lentils provide protein and fiber, making this a very wholesome dish.
While you’re here, don’t forget to check out some of our delicious lentil and veggie recipes:
- Andhra Tomato Pappu
- Mamidikaya Pappu- Raw Mango Dal
- South Indian Palak Dal – Spinach & Lentils Stew
- Rainbow Chard Red Lentil Stew
- Opo Squash Yellow Mung Curry
- Sambar
- Tomato Fenugreek Dal
- Instant Pot Moringa Leaf Dal
- Yellow Mung Detox Soup
- Cabbage Kootu: Cabbage & Lentil Stew
- Blended Chickpeas & Cluster Bean Curry
- Hearty Sarson Panchratna Dal
- Flavorful Cabbage Mung Curry
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Cucumber Dal
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Toor Dal - Split Pigeon Peas
- 1.5 Cups Cucumber - (Yellow) Also called Dosakaya
- 1/4 Cup Cilantro - Fine Cut
- 1 Pinch Asafoetida (Hing)
- 1/4 Teaspoon Methi Powder - Fenugreek Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Tamarind - Or to taste
- 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt - Or to taste
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
Tempering
- 1/2 Chili Green Chili Pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- 1/2 Chili Dry Red Chili
- 6-8 Leaves Curry Leaves
Instructions
- Soak toor dal for about an hour before you start cooking.
- To prep cucumber, peel the skin and discard seeds and cut it into small cubes.
- Set toor dal, cucumber in IP and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Add salt, turmeric, tamarind paste and chili powder to the cooked lentils and mix well.
- Dry out the IP pan, set it on 'saute' mode and add oil. Once it is hot, add seasoning ingredients (curry leaves, urad dal, cumin and mustard seeds, dry chili pepper, green chili pepper, fenugreek powder, hing).
- Once the ingredients start to crackle, add pressure cooked dal, cucumber and mix well.
- Transfer to bowl and serve hot.
