Dosakaya pachadi is a tasty, traditional south Indian style cucumber chutney that goes well with rice, dosas, or as a side dish with chapatis. It is a vegan, no onion, no garlic dish.
This dish is widely known and extremely popular in South India. This recipe is a delightful combination of refreshing cucumber, tomato, subtle tanginess from tamarind, the richness of coconut and flavours from aromatic spices.
The term “dosakaya” refers to yellow cucumber particularly a variety that is widely used in south India and “pachadi” refers to chutney. This recipe brings the flavours of Telugu cuisine to your kitchen.
Moreover, with just a few simple ingredients, this is one of the easiest and most flavorful South Indian recipes you can make. It is an ideal dish to include in midweek meal planning.
Jump to:
Why will you love Andhra style cucumber chutney?
Made with a few basic ingredients
Perfect beginner recipe
No onion, no garlic recipe
Ingredients
- For chutney: Cucumber, coconut, green chillies, chana dal, urad dal, cumin seeds, turmeric, dried red chillies, coriander leaves, tomato, salt and oil.
- For tadka: Oil, mustard, cumin, urad dal, curry leaves, dried red chilli and asafoetida.
See the recipe card for quantities.
How to prepare cucumber chutney?
Peel the dosakaya and remove the seeds. Cut it into small cubes and set it aside.
Chop tomato and keep it aside to use later.
Heat 1 and half teaspoon oil in a pan over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add chana dal, urad dal and fry for a couple of minutes or until they release a nutty aroma and start turning light brown.
Now add green and dried red chillies and saute for a minute.
Add coconut, cumin seeds and stir for a couple of minutes.
Switch the heat off.
Transfer it to a plate or a bowl and let it cool completely.
Meanwhile, heat one and a half teaspoon of oil in the same pan over medium-low heat.
Once the oil is hot, add chopped cucumber pieces, chopped tomato and turmeric, and mix well.
Cook for 5-8 minutes until the cucumber gets tender.
Once the cucumber is tender, add tamarind and coriander leaves.
Mix well with a spoon.
Switch the heat off and let the vegetables cool.
Transfer the cooled cooked spices and coconut mixture into a mixer jar or spice blender.
Blend it coarsely, and set it aside.
Then transfer the vegetables into a mixer jar, add salt and grind it to coarse chutney.
Transfer the chutney to a bowl.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a pan.
Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal and saute for few seconds until urad dal starts to turn golden colour.
Now add dried red chilli, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
Switch the heat off and pour the tempering over the blended chutney.
Mix it well with a spoon.
Yellow cucumber chutney is now ready to be served as a side dish with rice, dosas, or chapatis.
Check out dosakaya pappu recipe on the blog.
Substitutions and Variations
Chilies: Swap red and green chilies with milder peppers like jalapeños for a less spicy version. Alternatively, remove seeds for a milder taste.
Coconut: If fresh coconut is unavailable, use desiccated coconut or frozen coconut. Thaw frozen coconut and adjust quantities accordingly for the right consistency and flavour.
Oil for Tempering: While I have used olive oil for a distinct flavour, you can use any cooking oil or ghee for tempering based on your preference.
Roasted Ingredients: Add roasted peanuts while blending for an extra nutty flavour and added texture.
Herbs and Spices: Add a small piece of fresh ginger for an extra flavour kick. Wash, peel, chop roughly and saute it along with coconut and other ingredients.
Heat Variation: For an extra kick, you can include a pinch of red chili powder or extra chillies while sauteing.
Storage
Dosakaya chutney stays fresh for a day or two in the refrigerator. Store it in an airtight container.
However, freshly made chutney tastes the best. Try to consume it within a day or two.
Serving Suggestions
Serve dosakaya pachadi as a side dish with steamed rice and a dollop of ghee. It pairs well with plain rice or mildly flavored rice dishes like vegetable pulao, coconut rice or mushroom pulao.
Use it as an accompaniment with chapati, roti, or paratha.
This is a tasty condiment with dosas, instant appe or idlis. It adds a tangy and spicy flavour when served alongside these traditional South Indian breakfast items.
Serve dosakaya pachadi as a condiment alongside savory snacks like pakoras, vada or bajji for an extra burst of flavour.
Tips and Tricks
Pachadi Consistency: Blend the ingredients coarsely for a textured chutney. This texture adds character to the pachadi. Avoid over-blending to maintain the crunch of cucumber pieces in the chutney.
Cooking Spices: Cook spices on medium heat stirring frequently until fragrant, being careful not to burn them.
Choosing Cucumber: Select a firm and fresh cucumber. Ensure it has vibrant yellow and green colours and feels heavy for its size.
Preparing Dosakaya: Peel the dosakaya thoroughly and remove the seeds as they might be bitter and ruin the taste of chutney. Cut the dosakaya into small, even-sized cubes for even cooking and easier blending.
FAQ
Indian yellow cucumbers have various regional names like Madras cucumber, Malabar cucumber, nadan vellarikka, and Mangaluru southekayi.
Indian yellow cucumbers have a mild, slightly sweet flavour and are less bitter than other types. Nonetheless, it is always best to taste a small piece while dicing. If it has even a hint of bitterness, throw it away.
It is recommended to cook this variety of cucumbers rather than eating them raw.
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do let me know if you try this easy and simple south Indian dosakaya pachadi. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or on the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online. You can stay up to date by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribing to my Youtube channel. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get simple recipes straight to your inbox?
📖 Recipe Card
Dosakaya Pachadi (Cucumber Chutney)
Equipment
- 1 Skillet/Frying Pan
- 1 Mixer Grinder
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
For Pachadi
- 1.5 Teaspoons Oil
- 1.5 Tablespoons Urad Dal
- 1.5 Tablespoons Chana Dal
- 5 Green Chillies add/reduce to suit your spice levels
- 4 Dried Red Chillies add/reduce to suit your spice levels
- ½ Cup (or) 30 gms Fresh Coconut chopped
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 1.5 Teaspoons Oil
- 3 Cups (or) 330 gms Cucumber/Dosakai/Southe kaayi
- ¾ Cup (or) 133 gms (or) 1 large Tomato chopped
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric
- 1 Tablespoon (or) 5 gms Tamarind
- Handful Fresh Coriander Leaves
- Salt as required
For Tadka
- 1.5 Teaspoon Oil
- ½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
- ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- ½ Teaspoon Urad Dal
- 1 Red Chilli
- 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
- Big pinch Asafoetida/ Hing
Instructions
- Peel the dosakaya and remove the seeds. Cut it into small cubes and set it aside.3 Cups (or) 330 gms Cucumber/Dosakai/Southe kaayi
- Chop tomato and keep it aside to use later.¾ Cup (or) 133 gms (or) 1 large Tomato
- Heat 1 and half teaspoon oil in a pan over medium heat.1.5 Teaspoons Oil
- Once the oil is hot, add chana dal, urad dal and fry for a couple of minutes or until they release a nutty aroma and start turning light brown.1.5 Tablespoons Urad Dal, 1.5 Tablespoons Chana Dal
- Now add green and dried red chillies and saute for a minute.5 Green Chillies, 4 Dried Red Chillies
- Add coconut, cumin seeds and stir for a couple of minutes.½ Cup (or) 30 gms Fresh Coconut, 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- Switch the heat off, transfer it to a plate or a bowl and let it cool completely.
- Meanwhile, heat one and half teaspoon of oil in the same pan over medium-low heat.1.5 Teaspoons Oil
- Once the oil is hot, add chopped cucumber pieces, chopped tomato and turmeric, and mix well.3 Cups (or) 330 gms Cucumber/Dosakai/Southe kaayi, ¾ Cup (or) 133 gms (or) 1 large Tomato, ½ Teaspoon Turmeric
- Cook for 5-8 minutes until the cucumber gets tender.
- Once the cucumber is tender, add tamarind, coriander leaves, switch the heat off and let the vegetables cool.1 Tablespoon (or) 5 gms Tamarind, Handful Fresh Coriander Leaves
- Transfer the cooled cooked spices and coconut mixture into a mixer jar or spice blender.
- Blend it coarsely, and set it aside.
- Then transfer the vegetables into a mixer jar, add salt and grind it to coarse chutney.Salt
- Transfer the chutney to a bowl.
- Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a pan.1.5 Teaspoon Oil
- Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and urad dal and saute for few seconds until urad dal starts to turn golden colour.½ Teaspoon Mustard Seeds, ½ Teaspoon Cumin Seeds, ½ Teaspoon Urad Dal
- Now add dried red chilli, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.1 Red Chilli, Big pinch Asafoetida/ Hing, 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
- Switch the heat off and pour the tempering over the blended chutney. Mix it well.
- Yellow cucumber chutney is now ready to be served as a side dish with rice, dosas, or chapatis.
Notes
Nutrition
Related
Looking for other condiment recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with dosakaya pachadi:
Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
Leave a Reply