Recipe Cooked, Photographed and Written by Praveena
PrepTime:3 mins  CookTime:Given below  Cuisine:Indian
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Green cucumber lentil stew, recipe of Toor dal + cucumber, is a very common one for any South Indian Mum. But, sharing my version. It is purely Vegan + Gluten free recipe. Toor dal is one of the most commonly used pulses in an Indian kitchen.Â
Green Cucumber is called as Keera (in Hindi) / Dosakaya (in my Mother Tongue, Telugu). Its even referred to as Salad Cucumber / English Cucumber in India, because we have few other cucumber varieties. Predominantly the Yellow Cucumber which is available throughout the year in India. You can see the Yellow Cucumber Dal recipe too.
The above combination, of Green Cucumber dal and Brinjal & Green Peas Curry / Vankaya -Bataani Koora,makes an excellent combination of dal & curry from the Telugu Cuisine. These can be served as sides with steamed rice or even with chapathi / roti / phulka.
Health Benefits of Cucumber & Toor Dal
Cucumbers are very low in calories and they also contain fiber in the skin and so can help us maintain a healthy weight.
Toor Dal/Kandi Pappu/Yellow Lentils have many health benefits like improves digestion, good source of protein,iron, fiber, controls cholesterol,has folic acid.Â
Green Cucumber dal served as a side, in the above Bhojanam/Thali/Platter
Before starting to cook, don’t forget to see the Tips mentioned at the end.
My Dal recipes collection⇒  Dal / Pappu / Lentil Stew
Instant Pot Recipes collection⇒  Electric Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot Recipes
Related Posts:
- Bhojanam/Thali/Platter # 3Â
- Pappu Pulusu / Indian Spicy Lentil Soup
- Dosakaya Pappu / Yellow Cucumber Dal
- Lettuce wraps with Cucumber-Peanut Salad
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Ingredients:
- Green Cucumber / Keera Dosakaya – 1 (large size)
- Fresh Tomatoes – 2 (large size)
- Green Chillies – 2 (small size)
- Toor Dal / Kandi Pappu / Split Yellow Lentils – 1 cup (250 ml)
- Salt – 2 teaspoons
- Red Chilli Powder / Cayenne Powder – 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon
- Water – for boiling and cooking
- Fresh Coriander – 2 to 3 twigs (to garnish)
- Tamarind Puree – 1 tablespoon (optional)
Ingredients for Tempering : (optional)
- Cooking oil – 2 tablespoons
- Mustard seeds / Aavalu – ¼ teaspoon
- Jeera / Cumin Seeds -½ teaspoon
- Asafoetida / Hing / Inguva – half of ¼ teaspoon
- Dry Red Chillies – 3
- Curry Leaves – 5
- Sesame Seeds / Nuvvulu – ¼ teaspoon (optional)
- Garlic pods – 3 (optional)
Special Ingredients:
- Asafoetida / Hing / Inguva
- Tamarind Puree
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Step wise pics Procedure for Green cucumber Lentil Stew:
PREP WORK:
- Wash the Green cucumber and tomatoes.
- Cut the cucumber/dosakaya and the tomatoes into cubes size pieces. Slit the green chillies length wise.
STOVE-TOP METHOD:
Toor Dal/Yellow Lentils taken in pressure cooker 
Yellow Lentils/ToorDal/Pappu + Water taken in pressure cooker
INSTANT POT METHOD:
TEMPERING (for both methods):
Tips:
- You can peel the skin off the cucumber/dosakaya, if you prefer to.
- This is a No Onion, No Garlic recipe, but you can add garlic in the tempering too.
- Stove-top Pressure Cooker Method: Follow the same method just as Instant Pot, but let it cook for 3 whistles.
- Adjust the salt and spice as per your taste, but the expected spice for this stew/dal is mild.
- The storage time of this pappu/lentil stew at room temperature is just 1 day but when refrigerated stays good up to 2-3 days.
Result:
- The taste of this Green cucumber lentil stew / Dal is mild in spice and the texture is very soft.
- It is suitable as a side with any rice, quinoa, any bread .
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Green Cucumber Lentil Stew / Dal
Equipment
- Sauce Pan / Vessel (for stove-top method)
- Instant Pot or Electric Pressure Cooker (for IP method)
Ingredients Â
- 1 count Green Cucumber / Keera Dosakaya (large size)
- 2 count Fresh Tomatoes (large size)
- 2 count Green Chillies (small size)
- 1 cup Toor Dal / Kandi Pappu / Split Yellow Lentils (250 ml)
- 2 teaspoons Salt (or as per taste)
- 1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder / Cayenne Powder
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder – ½ teaspoon
- as required Water (for boiling and cooking)
- 2 to 3 twigs Fresh Coriander (to garnish)
- 1 tablespoon Tamarind Puree (optional)
Ingredients for Tempering
- Cooking oil – 2 tablespoons
- ¼ teaspoon Mustard seeds / Aavalu
- ½ teaspoon Jeera / Cumin Seeds
- â…› teaspoon Asafoetida / Hing / Inguva
- 3 count Dry Red Chillies
- 5 count Curry Leaves
- ¼ teaspoon Sesame Seeds / Nuvvulu (optional)
- 3 pods Garlic (optional)
InstructionsÂ
PREP WORK:
- Wash the Green cucumber and tomatoes.Cut the cucumber/dosakaya and the tomatoes into cubes size pieces. Slit the green chillies length wise.
STOVE TOP METHOD:(20 mins)
- Take the lentils/toordal into a hard bottomed vessel and wash them twice thoroughly.Pour water up to the level where the lentils/dal are soaked. Â
- Transfer all the pieces of tomatoes,cucumber and green chillies onto the dal in the vessel.Close the lid, put the vessel on stove top on medium flame and cook until you see the water / steam bubbles rice up beyond the lid. (takes 10 mins)
- Then, take the lid off, reduce the flame to lowest, pour ¼ cup more water. Cook for 5 more mins / until the lentils mash well when you press between 2 fingers. (as a test)
- Then, add the salt , turmeric powder and red chilli powder into the same. Mix thoroughly, let it thicken to your desired consistency. Switch the flame off, garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Done!!
INSTANT POT / ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKER METHOD:(8 mins)
- Transfer washed lentils, pieces of green cucumber, tomatoes, slit green chillies, tamarind puree (optional) to the IP vessel. Pour water up to a level that everything is just dipped.
- Switch ON the gadget, set it to Pressure Cook Mode, under high pressure, for 5 mins with valve closed.
- Release the pressure either manually (QPR) or let it release naturally (NPR). Anything is fine.Remove the lid, turn on the IP, set to Saute Mode, under high pressure, for 3 mins.
- Add ¼ cup of water, salt, red chilli powder / cayenne powder, turmeric powder. Let it boil until it thickens. Switch off the gadget. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. Done!!
TEMPERING (common to both methods but OPTIONAL):
- Put a small frying pan on the stove, add all the ‘Ingredients for tempering’ and saute for 1-2 mins. Switch the flame off and transfer all the content of the pan onto the cooked lentils.
- Give a mix and take the dal into a serving dish. Done!!
Notes
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Very delicious and healthy lentil.
Thanks you so much, Sangeeta ji! 🙂