This easily convertible salad-to-chutney is a delicious fusion of raw veggies, tamarind, and chilies. You can churn this dish out without much of a fuss. It uses ingredients mostly available in reasonably well stocked kitchens - mustard and fenugreek seeds, tamarind and turmeric.
Course Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Keyword Chutney, cucumber, dosakai, dosakaya, dry red chili pepper, Fenugreek, raw, salad, Tamarind
Special Diet Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian
2CupsCucumberAlternately, use Dosakai. Chopped fine
1TeaspoonCoconut Oil
1TeaspoonMustard Seeds
1/2TeaspoonFenugreek SeedsMethi Seeds
2MediumGreen Chili PepperOr to taste
1MediumDry Red ChiliOr to taste (I have used a lot because they are the bland variety)
1/4TeaspoonTurmeric Powder
1/4TeaspoonSea SaltOr to taste
1TablespoonTamarindWhole (Deseeded)
Instructions
Wash and soak whole tamarind in water for 10-15 mins.
Cut dosakaya in half. If the seeds are tender, use them in this salad. Else, compost them. You never know when a volunteer plant may come up from that rich soil!
Cut dosakaya or cucumber into small pieces. No need to peel the vegetables if they are organically grown and tender. If the peel seems tough, do peel.
Heat oil, splutter mustard seeds. Add fenugreek (methi) seeds, green and red chilies and sauté for 30 seconds on medium heat. Add turmeric powder and sauté for an additional 15 seconds.
Dry grind this mix of mustard/fenugreek seeds/chilies with the soaked tamarind (use all of it, but make sure there are no seeds) and salt.
Add 2 tablespoons of the raw vegetable to the blender.
Blend everything to a smooth paste.
Add this ground mixture to raw cut dosakaya or cucumber pieces.
Mix well and serve as a side or salad. If you want to serve this as a chutney, grind all the cucumber pieces coarsely.
Notes
This crunchy, crisp, super-yummy dish is versatile! You can use it as an accompaniment with your dosa or idli, as a side salad, or heck....why not eat it as a snack when you need something crunchy and tangy on your palate??!*Use organic ingredients where possible