Cucumber Coolers

Summer's finally here. The heat is increasing with each passing day, mercury sitting at 43 degrees and all the schools here nearing its summer break in a week's time. In it's last week, "A" [my elder one] had a task from his school to prepare a chart and create awareness among students about having a safe summer. We helped him to make it with illustrations that shared the message to take good care of our eyes, our skin, our health and keep ourselves hydrated all the times during summer. Here's a pic of his work.


This activity reminded me of the summer days that I spent as a kid at my Mumbai house. We baccha party used to gather in the play area of our housing society to spend our vacation time during summer. Lots of playing under the burning sun from morning till our moms pulled us into the house to protect us from the heat. It was not just the heat but the humid weather too that used to make us feel stickier and sweatier. And right in that time a vendor used to arrive at the gates with a cart or basket/ tokri filled with peeled cucumbers, sliced and sprinkled with salt, red chilli powder and lemon juice ... aah the sight of cucumber slices looked sinfully delicious, an oasis for parched throats as well as hungry souls. But mom had strictly instructed me to stay away from such temptations and thereby from infections and diseases in order to have a safe summer. Later she used to fulfill my wish by preparing delicious slices or cucumber salads at home during lunch time.

In continuation to the above safe summer concept, today's recipe post is on summer coolers that surely gonna beat the heat, quench the thirst and keep you healthy. Chatpata Cucumber slices and Cucumber cups which I had prepared at home few days back. These slices or cups can be served as an appetizer before a meal.


For cucumber slices
Ingredients
Cucumber 2, sliced into sticks
Red chilli powder as per taste
Salt to taste
Lemon Juice to taste

Method:
Wash the cucumbers. [Optional step of peeling the cucumber skin] Cut them into stick shaped slices. Place them on serving plate. Sprinkle salt, red chili powder and some lemon juice on top. You can chill them before serving.


For cucumber cups
Ingredients
Cucumber 2, cut into roundels approximately 1 to 1.5 inches each
Yogurt/ Curd 1/2 cup
Beetroot 1,  grated or cut into small cubes and boiled 
Corn niblets few.
Chaat masala to taste
Pepper powder to taste
Finely chopped coriander leaves/ Mint leaves for garnish [optional]

Method:

Wash the cucumbers.You can keep the skin or remove or even peel it in stripes. Cut the cucumbers into roundels approximately 1 to 1.5 inches each. To make the cups, scoop out the inner portion with a melon-baller taking care not to scoop all the way to the bottom. 

In a bowl mix curd, boiled beet cubes, corn niblets. Sprinkle some salt, pepper powder, chaat masala. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves or mint leaves. Place the cucumber cups on serving plate and scoop a tsp of mixture into each cucumber cup and serve it chilled.

Optionally, you can use hung curd, cheese or hummus in place of yogurt and vary the toppings with any other ingredients of your choice like chopped tomatoes, onions, grated carrots, boiled and diced potatoes etc. You can use parsley instead of coriander or mint leaves and chopped green chilies to garnish those cups.

Hope you like this hors d'oeuvres, a very easy to prepare and refreshing recipe on a hot summer day !!!

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