Kakadicha Kayras

Kakdicha Kayras in Marathi

Time: 10 to 15 minutes
Serves: 3 to 4 persons

Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped cucumber (peeled)
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
3 to 4 tbsp grated jaggery or to taste
2 tbsp roasted peanuts powder (coarsely ground)
For tempering: 1 tbsp oil, 1/8 tsp cumin seeds, 2 pinches asafoetida, 1/8 tsp turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp red chili powder
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
salt to taste

Method:
1) Take tamarind pulp into a medium bowl. Add around 1/2 cup water and mix well. Add salt, jaggery and mix until dissolve. [Taste should be sweet and sour, so do not hesitate to add some more jaggery if you want to.]
2) Add chopped cucumber to tamarind water. We want runny consistency, so add some more water if required. Also, add roasted peanuts.
3) Heat oil into a tadka pan. Add cumin, hing, turmeric powder, red chili powder. Pour this tempering over kayras. Garnish with cilantro.
Cucumber kayras can be served as a side dish.

Cucumber Raita

Cucumber Raita in Marathi

Serves: 2 to 3 persons
Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup finely chopped cucumber (Peeled)
3/4 cup plain yogurt, well beaten
1 green chili, finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 tsp ghee
2 pinches cumin seeds
salt to taste

Method:
1) Mix cucumber and yogurt. Crush green chili with little salt. Add it to cucumber-yogurt mixture and mix.
2) Heat ghee in a tadka pan. Add cumin and wait till it crackles. Add this to cucumber raita.
3) Add cilantro and some salt if needed. Mix nicely. Serve as a side dish.

Tips:
1) To make raita more spicy, add little more green chili.
2) Do not add all yogurt at once. Add little and mix. Once you get perfect consistency, stop adding more. OR if you like yogurt-y taste, add more than given amount.
3) Some roasted crushed peanuts can add some crunch to the raita.