Vellarikka ellu pachadi | Cucumber with sesame seeds

We get this small cucumbers for every summer in India. My mother in law does a lot and refrigerate the chopped cucumbers (with temper) and the paste separately.  When in need we mix and eat. This taste totally different from usual raithas. Give a try you will really like it.

Ingredients:

• Small cucumber - 4 or English cucumber - 2
• Tamarind - small lemon size ball
• Salt - to taste

To roast and grind:

• Sesame seeds - 2 tbsp
• Urad dal - 3 tbsp
• Red chilly - 2
• Hing - a pinch

To temper:

• Oil - 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp
• Mustard - 1/4 tsp
• Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
• Curry leaves - 4

Method:

Soak the tamarind and extract 1/4 cup of  juice and discard the pulp. Wash and chop the cucumbers finely. Do not remove the skin. Add salt and refrigerate it. Heat a small pan and dry roast the sesame seeds.

Heat the same pan with 1/2 tsp of oil and roast urad dal, red chillies and hing till the dal turns golden brown. After it cools add in the blender and grind to a fine powder. Add the tamarind juice little by little in the blender and grind to a smooth paste.

If it is too dry or thick add little water to the paste. Heat a small  pan with a tsp of oil and add mustard seeds, urad dal and curry leaves. After the mustard seeds splutters transfer to the chopped cucumber. Combine the ground paste and cucumber. Adjust  the salt.

Serve with rice or roti.