Yellow Cucumber stew/ Bolu huli/ Southekai Bolu kodilu

Hello, this is my first post of year 2019. At first, let me wish you a very happy new year. I am sharing a very simple to make side dish that we make on regular basis at home especially when we are running out of time while cooking!

Yellow cucumber/ matured green cucumber and sambhar cucumber (Mangalore southekai) are two varieties those are being used largely in any coastal Karnataka home. Making of bolu huli/ Bolu koddel (in Tulu) is very simple as it does not contain dal (lentils) or coconut. Taste of it comes from the simple common spices & from a seasoning (tadka).  Now, let us see how to make it!

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

Southe Kai/ Cucumber (yellow) – 1 or ½ (if big) or 2 cups of chopped pieces

Tamarind – gooseberry sized

Jaggery – medium lemon sized

Salt – 1.5 tsp, to taste

Red chilli powder – 1 tsp

Green chilli – 1 (optional)

Cooking Oil- 2 tsp, preferred coconut oil

Turmeric powder – 1 pinch

Mustard seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin – ½ tsp

Dry red chilli – 1 or 2

Garlic – 10 cloves

Curry leaves – 1 sprig

Asafoetida/ hing – 1 pinch (optional)

Method:

• Wash the vegetable, peel and cut into pieces of ½ inch cube size removing the core (seeds).
• Take the cut vegetable in a vessel, add 2 cups of water, slit green chilli and bring to boil.
• Now add tamarind extract, jaggery, salt, turmeric powder and chilli powder. Cook covered until cucumber becomes soft.
• Add water as required, it should be watery in consistency. Boil well.
• Peel of garlic cloves & crush a bit. Prepare a seasoning of crushed garlic, mustard, cumin, minced red chilli in oil. When mustards splutter and garlic turn brown, switch off the heat and add cleaned curry leaves. Add this tadka (oggarane) to the bolu huli.
• Serve hot with steamed hot rice, palya and curds! This makes a simple soothing lunch.

Notes:

• Other vegetables like bottle gourd/ ash gourd can be used instead cucumber.
• Sweet, sour, spice level can be adjusted as you like.
• Optional cooked dal can be used make it rich & thick.