Hasi Southekayi Gojju (Cucumber sabji)

Cucumber Sabji (Southekai Hasi Gojju)

This is a traditional Kannada dish. Somehow it has been ages since I made this. Quite simple to make. I remembered this recipe today as I had some really fresh cucumber and wanted to make this sidedish with Saaru. The picture below shows the recipe from my diary. In the days before my marriage, I probably scribbled the recipe as my mom was making this with the hopes of someday making this in my home. I made this gojju today and my American-born daughter refuses to eat it just by looking at it. I am writing this recipe with the hope that when she grows older she will come back to these type of traditional recipes and make it in her own home.



Tender Cucumber peeled and ready to be chopped.

Ingredients for the Gojju: Coconut, cilantro, Hurgadle (dhalia), Green Chillies, Ginger, Tamarind, Mustard&Cumin seeds.


The Final Product.


Recipe: Cucumber Gojju
Ingredients:
Cucumber -- 2.5 cups chopped
Coconut -- 1 cup
Cilantro - Handful of roughly chopped cilantro
Hurgadle (dhalia) -- 1/4 th cup
Green Chillies -- 4
Ginger -- 1/2 inch piece
Tamarind -- 1 tsp of tamarind paste
Mustard seeds -- 1 tsp
Cumin seeds -- 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
A pinch of sugar (optional)

Method:
1. Peel and chop cucumber and set aside.
2. Fry green chillies in a little oil (a tsp of oil). Set aside.
3. Fry dhalia, cilantro, coconut in the same oil.
4. After everything is cool, grind it with the remaining ingredients.
5. Pour the ground paste over the chopped cucumber and mix well. Add salt if needed.
5. Make vagarne (tadka). Take a tsp of ghee and add 1/2 tsp of mustard. When mustard splutters, add hing and pour over the cucumber.

Mavinkai upinkai -- Mango pickle

My favorite memories are from my summers in India when my mom used to be busy making pickles and sandige. A post about sandige is for another day. This time I found some baby mangoes and decided to make instant mango pickles that only lasts for a week or so. I went to Global Foods the other day and was pleasantly surprised to see small mangoes in a bin. I picked a few and ate some up with salt and chilli powder. With the rest, I made this pickle.

Recipe: Mavinkai upinkai

Ingredients:
12 tender small mangoes -- Chopped into small pieces, about 1/2 inch size
Oil -- 2.5 tbsp
Salt -- 1.5 tbsp (or more)
Red Chilli powder -- 1.5 tbsp
Mustard seeds -- 3 tsp
Fenugreek (Methi) seeds -- 2 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing) -- 1/2 tsp

Method:
1. Make sure you wash and wipe the mangoes well. It should be completely dry. Using a clean knife, chop the mangoes and place it in a glass container.
2. Mix the salt and red chilli powder with the mangoes.
3. Dry fry one teaspoon of mustard seeds and methi seeds. Make a powder and add that to the mango mixture as well.
4. Heat oil and add the remaining mustard seeds, methi, and when the mustard starts spluttering add hing. Pour this oil over the mango mixture. Stir gently with a clean dry spoon.
5. Cover and let it rest for a few hours before you eat it.