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Monday, February 14, 2011

Blogging Marathon Day 6 ~ Dosa Avakaaya (Dosaavakaya)


Today's 'Special Choice' post - Regional Cuisine (I chose Andhra)

Pickle making process (in India) is often considered a tedious and laborious task and this is indeed true to some extent. Our home state Andhra, the land of spicy food lovers can boast about the variety of pickles they make ranging from vegetable to meat based ones. Each year, people there dedicate a few summer days to prepare a variety of large batch of pickles that could be used for the rest of the year. Pickle filled large ceramic jars adorning the kitchen shelfs is a common scene in Andhra homes. 
Though pickle making sounds intimidating for amateurs, there are a few Andhra pickles that are super easy to prepare. Dosa avakaya happens to fall under this easy breezy category and all you need is some vegetable chopping skills. :) Also this is almost a guilt free pickle since this does not ooze with oil as the other pickles do. The star ingredient in this pickle happens to be dosakaya - the round cucumbers available locally in Andhra that range from greenish to yellow color. The regular, slender green cucumbers are not a substitute. 


Ingredients to make about 1.5 cup pickle:
2 dosakayas / yellow cucumbers (About 1.5 cups dosakaya cubes)
4 Tbsp chili powder (or as  needed)
1&1/4 Tbsp salt
3 Tbsp sesame oil (I used olive oil)
1.5 Tbsp mustard seeds powder

Note:
1. Choose firm cucumbers without any blemishes. There is no need to peel the dosakaya since the crunch offered by the peel is preferred in this pickle. Though I have removed the seeds, deseeding is entirely optional. If you prefer the seeds, they can be added as well.
2. Either mustard seed powder can be bought from the stores or prepared at home. If you choose to prepare it at home, it is quite an easy process. Just dry toast the mustard seeds for a few seconds, cool and grind them fine. Ditto with the chili powder. Lightly toast the red dried chillies, cool and grind them. Or use the store bought one.
3. This pickle is supposed to stay fresh for a few months, even unrefrigerated. I prefer to refrigerate it but leave the pickle outside two days before doing so.
4. Take care that the working surface, dosakaya and the utensils used are completely DRY. Even a trace of moisture would mean less shelf life of the pickle.

Making the Pickle:
* Wash the cucumbers and dry them thoroughly so that there is no trace of moisture left. Quarter them and remove the seeds, if not using them. Chop the cucumbers into small cubes.
* Take a clean dry bowl and add the cucumber pieces, chili powder, mustard powder, salt and the oil to it. Mix well and adjust the quantities of salt and chili powders if needed. Cover it and leave it overnight.
That's it. It is ready to use from the next day.

Dosa Avakaya - Cucumber pickle in a pungent mustard base 


22 comments:

Champa said...

I have never cooked with this veggie. I will surely try this pickle. Pictures are so bright and inviting.

Unknown said...

What a lovely and inviting color the pickle has! What is Dosakaya otherwise called Suma?

Unknown said...

tnagy pickle...a must try one.but cucumber is very new to me

Shanavi said...

Pickle with dosakkai..def it's try Suma,..Love pickles..perfect for curd rice..Pass it here

harini-jaya said...

My mom's side, we call it Budamakaya. Oh My! The color itself raises my acidity :) Very Bright Pictures as usual!
And Suma, one quick question - is the mirchi powder you use not too hot? Because I find the ratio of salt:Mirchi Powder(1:4) slightly on the spicier side.

Kurinji said...

Soooooooo tempting pickle and nice clicks too.....

kurinjikathambam

Event: Healthy Recipe Hunt

Santosh Bangar said...

tangy and inviting pickle colour is very nice

Srivalli said...

Colour is simply awesome Suma..so wonderful!

Suma Gandlur said...

Harini, you are right. This dosakaya is called budumkaya in Rayalaseema region.
I prepared a small quantity of pickle and so used the store bought mirchi powder. The store owner kept telling me to buy reshampatti variety saying that it is the hottest variety. He underestimated Andhra people's palate preference. :) All color and no substance. It's way less spicier than the regular one I used to buy. Actually I used 5 Tbsp in the recipe.

Suma Gandlur said...

Priya, though I have found over the web that this dosakaya is called as lemon cucumber, it is sold under the name dosakaya in my neighborhood Indian / American stores.

kitchen queen said...

O M G the pickle looks so delicious tempting and inviting.

Priya Suresh said...

Wow wat a hot fiery pickle, soooo tempting..

Suji said...

Awesome...

Unknown said...

I have to wait a little longer for good dosakais....its a tempting pic..
Smitha
http://smithasspicyflavors.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

OMG my favorite Suma look at that pickle ummmm mouthwatering

Mina Joshi said...

The pickle looks great!

Sangi said...

tangy n tongue tickling pickle.. lovely pic..

Gayathri Kumar said...

Very colourful and hot..

Usha said...

My mom makes this avakaaya once in a while.. and love anything spices.. :-)

Unknown said...

looks nice..and must be delicious too..my telegu friend used to make something similar..

Prema said...

It's Really a tongue tickling pickle...

Meena Thennaapan said...

I have heard of Dosa with this veg. Pickle looks inviting