The versatile Madras Cucumber or Sambar Cucumber.

This all season vegetable, is very versatile and ripe cucumber can be stored for several months so that it would be available all the year round. Every part of the Cucumber, like the peels, the main fleshy part, the spongy core and even the liquid and seeds inside can be cooked and relished. The peels can be stored for a few days and used to make Chutney and the fleshy part with or without peels can be suitably cut and stored in the freezer for a few weeks or a month or two. The cucumber peels can be made into a special chutney called ‘Sambanda’. The pieces can be used to make standard sambar, a special ‘Unde sutta Sambar’ and ‘Mor Kozhambu’ or ‘Kai Huli’ or ‘Majjige Huli. The grated fleshy part is also made into a unique dish called ‘Saute Munchi’ or ‘Cucumber Munchi’.
                                           
     The Madras Cucumber/Sambar Cucumber                   Peels removed from half of it 

  The versatile Madras Cucumber or Sambar Cucumber.

                 

                  

      Cucumber cut into various parts                     Part of the perled portion grated or mixied.

  
FOUR types of  portions ready for storage in a freezer..

Cucumber Munchi.
‘Munchi’ means chilli or spicy in Tulu, a local language in Udupi, Mangalore area. This is a rare preparation using Madras Cucumber. For the spicy taste we add black pepper and hence the taste is ‘out of the way’, as it were.
Ingredients.
  1) Peeled cucumber flesh in grated form or pieces taken in a mixie and just a buzz given – about 1/2 cup or more.  2) Coconut pieces or gratings equal to 2 tablespoons.  3) Mustard – one tsp.  4) Black Pepper – about 10-12 , crushed slightly in a pestle/mortar.  5) Asafoetida ½ tsp.  6) Tamarind- about ½ lime size .  7) Curry leaves – little. 8) Cooking oil – about 1 – 1 ½ tsp.  9)  salt to taste  10) Coriander leaves - little.

         

 

Ingredients:   On left above. Cooking on low flame- middle. Final product - on right above.

 Method.
 In a kadai using about 1 ½ tsp coconut oil, roast mustard, black pepper and as it splutters add asafoetida, curry leaves and the grated or mixied cucumber. Add tamarind juice, salt and cook on low flame for 3-4 minutes. Transfer it to a serving dish and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot; to be mixed with hot white rice and eaten.
 Preparation time 15 to 20 minutes.
 Serves 3 – 4 persons with the quantity indicated.  

Cucumber Peels** Sambanda or Chutney.

This ‘Sambanda’ is made by marrying (Sambandi means a relative by marriage and ‘sambanda’ means a relation) the Cucumber Peels with some coconut and some masala. The distinctive enjoyable taste is relished when it is

mixed with hot white rice and some coconut oil. 
Ingredients.
 1) Peels of one or half cucumber, cut into smaller peices.  2) Coconut grated about 2 tablespoons. 3) Red chillies – 2-3. 4) Jeera – One to 1 1/2 teaspoon. (VARIATION – instead of Jeera, one can add  2 teaspoons of Urad dal with or without 1 tsp of chana dal) 5) Tamarind about ¾ lime size.  6) Turmeric powder 1 /4 tsp  7) Jaggery 1/2 tsp  7) Green chilli – one. 8) For garnishing – mustard, curd chilli, curry leaves , split urad dal and oil. 9) cooking oil 3-4 tsps for frying masala and garnishing. 10) Salt as needed. 11)Chopped coriander leaves.

 
Ingredients: Peels, Green chilli, Tamarind, Red chillies, Jeera, Asafoetida, Coconut & Tadka items separately.

Method.

  1) Roast/blanch in about a spoon and half coconut oil, Jeera, Coconut, cucumber peels as pieces, turmeric powder and lastly tamarind. Roast on medium flame for about 2 minutes till nice aroma of jeera comes. Do not over roast.  

 2) Cool the above and grind it fine in a mixie adding jaggery and little water as needed. Add salt also.

 3) Transfer it to a serving dish, sprinkle asafoetida, garnish with mustard, urad etc and top it with chopped coriander leaves.

Now ready to serve. 
 

                    

Fry/blanch peels with other items and cool.  Grind to Chutney add asafoetida & Garnish & Coriander leaves.     

Preparation time about 12 – 15 minutes.
Serves 3-4 persons at lunch as one of the side dishes, if peels of half cucumber is used.

** Make sure that the full cucumber is thoroughly washed off all pesticides by spraying a vinegar based solution and after 10 minutes rub gently and wash under tap water.

P S : More special cucumber dishes in another post - Tambli  & Unde sutta Huli.