Cucumber Raitha/Vellerikka Thair Pachadi

Raitha is a dish that is made regularly at home and during festivals. Its goes well as  a side dish with Dal rice, Vegetable rice,Vegetable Biryanis,Rotis,Pulkas,Parathas and the list goes on. Its simple to make and tastes great.
Ingredients:-
cucumber:- 1

Green chillies - 1
Curd/Yogurt - 1 cup

Butter Milk - 1/3 cup
Salt to taste
Sugar - a pinch
Coriander leaves - few
Seasoning:-
Oil - 1 tsp
Mustard Seeds -1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch
Method:-
1. Cut cucumber and chillies into small pieces.
2. Take it in a bowl, add salt,curd,Buttermilk and mix well.
3. Add sugar to it mix well.
4. Heat oil in a pan add seasoning and when mustard seeds starts spluttering.
5. add it to raitha.
6. Garnish with corriander leaves.
7. Tasty cucumber raitha is ready to eat.
8. Serve with Rotis,Pulkas,Dal Rice,Mixed rices,Vegetable rice/Biryanis etc.
9. I had it with  Vegetable Pulav/Vegetable Rice.
10. I haven't added seasoning in my raitha. It tasted good too.

Thakkali thairu pachadi/Tomato Raitha/Tomato Pergu Pachadi

This Raitha is my all time favourite. Tastes yummy  and gets done on all festival days at my home since childhood.Learnt the recipe from Mom. simple to make but the taste leaves ever lasting memories. You can have it with plain dal rice, mixed rices, pulav, veg biryanis, Dal kitchadi, rotis, pulkas, nan etc.....

Ingredients:-

Curd -1 1/2 cup

Tomato -2

Green chillies - 3

Coriander leaves - 2 tsp

Salt to taste

Sugar - 2 pinches

Seasoning:-

Oil - 1 tsp

Mustard seeds -1 tsp

Urad Dal - 1 tsp

Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:-

1. Cut tomatoes and chillies into pieces.

2. In a pan add seasoning and when the mustard starts spluttering.

3. Add tomatoes,chillies, salt,sugar.

4. Let the tomatoes become mushy.

5. Switch of the stove and let it cool completely.

6. Add Curd to the tomatoes mix well.

7. Garnish with coriander leaves.

8. Tasty and yummy thakkali thair pachadi/Tomato raitha is ready.

Cucumber Salad/Vellerikka salad

This is a simple salad of cucumber. Gets done in minutes. Very tasty,crunchy salad. you can eat it is or with rotis or with mixed rices.

Ingredients:-

Cucumber:- 1

Salt to taste

Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Sugar -  2 pinches

coriander leaves- 2 tsp

Chili Powder -1/3 tsp

Method:-

1. Peel outer skin of cucumber.

2. Cut into small pieces.

3. Keep it in fridge.

4. Add lemon juice,salt and sugar.

5. Keep it in fridge.

6. While serving take the cucumber and lemon juice mix from fridge.

7. Mix lemon juice mix to cucumber.

8. Garnish with coriander leaves.

7. Tasty,cool and crunchy cucumber salad is ready.

Variations:- Instead of lemon juice you can use white vinegar. instead of lemon juice You can use Knor salad dressing(Vinegar and paprika or basil and thyme leaves). chili powder optional instead you can use cut green chili pieces.

Cucumber Raitha/Vellerikka thair pachadi

Summer in full swing and was wondering  how to beat the scorching summer heat? Remembered cool crunchy cucumber! This low calorie vegetable has more nutrients to offer than just water and
It provides  just 15 calories per 100 Grams.
Health Benefits:-It is a very good source of Potassium, helps reduce blood pressure and heart rates by countering effects of sodium. It contains unique anti-oxidants in good ratios such as ß-carotene and α-carotene, vitamin-C, vitamin A. Cucumbers have mild diuretic property probably due to their high water and potassium content, which helps in checking weight gain and high blood pressure. They are surprisingly have high amount of vitamin K. Vitamin-K has been found to have potential role in bone strength by promoting osteotrophic (bone mass building) activity.(Source :- wiki)

Ingredients:-

Cucumber:- 2
Salt to taste
Green Chillies -4
Fresh Coconut - 3 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Coriander Leaves
Curd - 1 Cup
Sugar - a pinch

Seasoning:-
Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
Asafoetida - a pinch

Method:-
1.Scrape the outer skin of cucumber  and cut into small pieces and transfer it to a vessel.
2. Grind Fresh coconut and Chillies in a mixer.
3. Add it to the Cucumber pieces.
4. Add Curd, Salt, a pinch sugar to it and mix well
5. Heat Oil in a pan , add musturd seeds, and asafoetida.
6.Once the mustard seeds starts spluttering, add it to the cucumber Mix.
7.Garnish with Coriander Leaves.
8.Cool, crunchy, tasty Cucumber raitha/ Thair pachadi is ready to eat.

Note:-Coconut is optional. Instead of grinding the chillies u can cut it into peices and add it to cucumber. Sugar is also optional. You can have this raitha with veg pulav, Veg biryani, Mixed rices,
parathas, rotis etc.

 

Carrot & Cucumber Salad or kosumary

Today i prepared this Carrot & Cucumber Salad. Its easy to prepare and gets ready with in minutes.
My mom used to make it on all the festival days. You can eat it as it is or it goes well with sambar rice,Rasam rice,Curd Rice, or rotis. The Same you can see in my vegetarian thali.

Ingredients :-

Carrot - 1
Cucumber - 1
Green chillies -2
Curry leaves
Coriander Leaves
Moong Dal - 2 tsp(soak it in hot water for 10 to 15 min and drain water)
Lemon juice - 2 tsp
Coconut scraped - 3 tsp(optional)
Salt

For Seasoning:-

Mustard seeds -1 tsp
Oil - 1 tsp
Asafoetida- 2 pinch

Method:-

1. Peel the outer skin of carrots and cucumber
2. Grate the carrot and cucumber in a grater
3. Add salt and then lemon juice
4. Add curry leaves, coriander leaves and chillies,Coconut scraped,soaked moong dal.
5. Mix well
6. Heat oil in a pan add mustard seeds and asafoetida
7. when it splutters switch off the stove  add it to already mixed salad and mix well.
8. Fresh salad is ready to eat.