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During summer, it's important to make changes to the diet in order to sustain good health to make it through the season. One of the best ways to do that is to include refreshing foods like cucumber in the diet to keep the body hydrated, nourished and chilled.
Cucumber is one of the most hydrating vegetables and 95% of its composition is made of water. In addition to this, cucumbers are high in electrolytes like potassium, magnesium, and sodium which maintain proper fluid balance, retains muscle function and promote nerve signalling.
The best thing about cucumber is that you can eat it in many ways — raw, cooked, pickled or marinated. With so many versatile uses, you can make numerous snacks and appetisers with cucumbers to curb your anytime hunger. Check out these amazing recipes to make with cucumber for summer.
1) Cucumber Roll Ups
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Dainty, luscious and refreshing, cucumber roll-ups are a perfect bite-sized appetiser to soothe the small cravings and calm the heat down. To make these, cucumbers are sliced lengthwise with the help of a peeler to create thin sheets. The sheets are then filled with a mixture of yoghurt and vegetables or fruits of choice. Then it's enclosed by rolling the sheet and securing it with a toothpick.
2) Cucumber Fruits Salad
The combination of cucumber and refreshing fruits brings a delightful balance of salty and sweet. This hydrating salad can include all the fruits of your choice including apple, mangoes, kiwis, grapes and so on. The natural sweet and salty flavour of cucumber enhances the sweetness of different fruits.
3) Crisp Cucumber Salsa
Cucumbers have always been an essential part of salsa. Combining diced tomatoes, cucumber, onions, coriander, lime juice and seasonings, this salsa becomes a crowd-pleasing side dish to pair with any meal. Also, you can use it as a stuffing for rolls, pita bread and sandwiches.
4) Cucumber Cream Toast
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Refreshing cucumber with chilling cream, Ahh! What a combo! Diced cucumbers mixed with chilled cream can be the best topping for your toast this summer. With the addition of mild spices like cumin powder and ground black pepper, this snack becomes even more indulging.
5) Cucumber Veggie Pockets
Veggie pockets are amazing when you're looking for something to eat in bed without making a mess. To make it summer-appropriate, create the filling with cucumber, mixed vegetables like tomatoes, onions, boiled potatoes, capsicum, celery and fresh basil. Spice it up with a dressing of your choice, fill in roti pockets or pita pockets and you've made yourself a wholesome treat in an instant.
6) Cucumber Chilla
Besan chilla has its characteristic warmth coming from besan batter. To enhance the flavour and bring a refreshing contrast, add grated cucumber to it. Cucumber will not only give it a refreshing twist but also add to the texture and bite.
7) Cucumber Koshimbir
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Koshimbir is a Maharashtrian salad made of finely chopped vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions, mixed with grated carrots and sometimes radishes. It is typically seasoned with salt, sugar, lemon juice, and fresh coriander leaves. A key feature of koshimbir is the tempering, where mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and green chillies are sautéed in oil and then poured over the salad, adding a distinctive flavour.
