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Cucumbers and summertime go hand in hand. The cool, crisp taste of a fresh cucumber is the perfect way to beat the heat on a scorching summer day. Sliced up in a salad, diced into a cold gazpacho soup, or just eaten plain, cucumbers provide a refreshing burst of flavour. The cucumber's mild taste and crunchy texture make it a favourite veggie to eat raw.
Just add a little dill, lemon, and salt, and you have the classic flavours of summer in one bite. Their cool, crisp crunch perfectly captures the taste of the season. Cucumbers are often featured in raita, a yoghurt-based side dish eaten with spicy curries. The cooling yoghurt and crunchy cucumbers provide relief from the heat of the summer season.
From cooling sides like raita to pickles and salads, cucumbers are the perfect way to stay refreshed during hot Indian summers. Their versatility allows them to be served with all types of Indian dishes, making them an indispensable part of the cuisine.
Here are 10 cool dishes that might help you survive the summer season.
Kachumber Salad
The crisp crunch of cucumbers paired with juicy tomato chunks and sharp onion slivers makes a classic salad trio enjoyed worldwide. Unlike many salads dressed in oil, kachumber gets its tangy zip from an easy lemon juice vinaigrette spiked with salt and pepper. Whipping up this no-fuss salad takes just minutes. Kachumber's cooling nature makes it the perfect partner for spicy curries, dals, and sandwiches. Its simplicity also makes it ideal for a light summer meal.
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Dosakaya Curry
The Andhra-style dosakaya curry is a simple dish that highlights the mild taste of yellow cucumber. This light curry can be enjoyed with rice or roti, making it a versatile side dish in Telugu homes across Andhra Pradesh. The simplicity of the ingredients allows the natural flavours of the vegetables to shine through.
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Vellarika Sadam
Vellarikkai sadam is a delicious South Indian rice dish perfect for summer. To make it, first cook some rice. In a pan, roast cashews, peanuts, spices and coconut to release their flavours. Add the cucumber and cooked rice to the pan and mix well. Season with salt, coriander and lemon juice. The crunch of the nuts and the freshness of the cucumber pair wonderfully with the coconut-infused rice. This quick and easy rice dish highlights the bright, aromatic flavours of summer produce.
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Cucumber Raita
Cucumber raita is a vital side to many Indian dishes, adding a cooling and refreshing contrast to spicy curries and rice dishes. This yoghurt-based condiment comes together in just minutes, making it an easy way to round out a meal. Drizzled over a hot curry or scooped alongside fluffy basmati rice, cucumber raita cools the palate and brings everything on the plate together.
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Kheere Ki Sabji
Kheere ki sabji, a mouthwatering cucumber curry, is a staple dish during the hot summer months. The curry is at once cooling and comforting—the perfect antidote to spicy dishes and oppressive heat. The natural sweetness of the cucumbers harmonises beautifully with the rich, nutty coconut and pungent mustard seeds. A dollop of cool yoghurt lends a refreshing tartness. This simple curry is best enjoyed with steaming basmati rice and a side of keerai sambar.
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Cucumber Kootu
Cucumber Kootu is a tasty South Indian dish made with crunchy cucumbers cooked in a coconut-based gravy. This simple, healthy stew highlights the refreshing flavour of cucumbers. It is usually served with rice and spicy kuzhambu dals as part of a complete South Indian meal.
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Cucumber Coconut Juice
Cucumber coconut juice is a delightful and refreshing summer drink. The cool, crisp liquid provides hydration on hot days. This beverage brings together the refreshing taste of cucumber with the sweetness of coconut water and apples. This juice is the perfect way to quench your thirst on a steamy summer day.
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Chouthe Pachadi
Coorg cuisine is known for its authentic and delicious South Indian flavours. One classic example is Chouthe Pachadi, a refreshing cucumber raita featuring cucumbers, coconut, ginger, garlic, coriander, green chilies, yoghurt, and spices. Chouthe Pachadi is the perfect accompaniment to a hot plate of rice, encapsulating the rich flavours of authentic Coorg cuisine.
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Cucumber Neer Moru
This refreshing South Indian probiotic drink known as moru, or spiced buttermilk, is a light and invigorating beverage defined by its delicate balance of flavours. Thin in texture yet bursting with taste, moru combines the cool, tart tang of fermented yoghurt with a subtle yet spicy kick from chilli peppers and curry leaves.
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Serving moru chilled over ice cubes cools the palate and makes it an ideal thirst quencher for scorching hot days.
Khamang Kakdi
The sour-sweet dish called Khamang Kakdi is a side dish originating from the western Indian state of Maharashtra. This light and refreshing yoghurt-based salad highlights the cool, crisp flavour of cucumbers, which are at their peak during the hot summer months.
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To prepare Khamang Kakdi, chopped cucumbers are combined with yoghurt and seasoned with aromatic curry leaves, pungent green chilies, and nutty mustard seeds fried in oil. Khamang Kakdi is an easy and refreshing dish that offers a cooling contrast of textures and flavours.
