Madras Cucumber is something that I discovered on my recent trip to the market.
Most of the vendors from who I buy my grocery from know that I always am on the lookout for new ingredients may it be aakur, moras, or anything that I haven’t tried before. So when my vendor saw me curiously looking at this gorgeous yellow-green beauty, he knew it was new to me. He promptly picked it up, put it in my bag, and shared the procedure for using it. This is kind of our fixed routine now.
About Madras Cucumber
This vegetable gets its name from the place of its origin i.e. Madras ( Chennai).
It is mainly cultivated in South India and unlike regular cucumbers which can be eaten raw, this needs to be cooked.
This vegetable gets its name from the place of its origin i.e. Madras ( Chennai).
It is mainly cultivated in South India. Unlike regular cucumbers which can be eaten raw, this needs to be cooked.
The Madras cucumber is usually around 4- 8 inches long and 3-6 inches wide. The peel has yellow and dark green stripes. To me, it looks more like a distant cousin of the watermelon than the cucumber in terms of looks. It’s only when you cut it open and notice the tough yet thin peel, the inner creamy flesh which is high in water content yet crunchy, and the seeds in the center you can accept it is a cucumber.
It is soft, and crunchy, and has high water content with a distinct taste but you can’t consume it just like that. Also while using it, it is best to discard the seeds as they kind of lend a bitter taste to the dish.
Scientific Name
Cucumis Maderaspatensis
Other Names
Souhtekayi/ Dosakaya
Yellow cucumber
Nutritional Facts
It is a good source of fiber, a rich source of vitamins
A, C, E, K, and antioxidants. Plus it has high water content.
Culinary Usage
- Sambhar
- Pachadi
- Meat dishes
- Koddilu
Magge Polo/ Madras Cucumber dosa Recipe
Equipment
- Non-stick pan
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Rice
- 1 Cup Magge/ Madras Cucumber
- 1/2 Cup Poha
- 1/2 Cup Grated coconut
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 tsp Oil
- 1 tbsp Jaggery * Optional
Instructions
- Wash rice 2-3 times and then soak it for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, deseed the cucumber and cube the rest including the peel.
- Grind the rice, grated coconut, cucumber, poha, and salt with a little bit of water into a thick batter.
- Leave the batter overnight or for 6-8 hours. Let it ferment.
- Heat a pan. Apply some oil to the surface. Pour a ladle of the batter on the hot pan. Spread it only a little( it has to be thick so it turns fluffy) and let it cook by placing a lid on it.
- Lift the lid. Hole formation will be clearly visible on the dosa then flip it over to cook on the other side.
- Serve it hot with chutney, pickles, dips etc
For making the sweeter version of Magge Dosa
- In the grinding phase, add jaggery to the batter.
