Dosa Avakai (Dosavakaya) - Andhra Yellow Cucumber Pickle
Dosakaya or Nakka Dosakai (Yellow cucumber), a small, round-shaped light green to bright yellow colored vegetable, with a crisp crunchy skin and a mild sweet-tarty taste, is used to prepare traditional Andhra delicacies like dosakaya pappu , dosakaya pachadi and dosa avakai. Dosa Avakai is an old Andhra culinary tradition which is made on the same lines as the famous Andhra Avakai or Mango Pickle. The only difference being dosa avakai takes lesser time in terms of preparation, less laborious and is ready to be consumed within 24 hours of preparing the pickle unlike avakai which takes 6-7 days.
The pickled cucumber pieces which are blended with a spice mixture of red chilli pwd,mustard seeds pwd and seasame oil and made to marinate overnight in the spice mixture and salt, absorb the flavors of the spices well, retaining the crunchy texture due to the skin of the cucumber and have a mild tarty, slightly spicy-pungent flavor due to the red chillis and mustard powder. Dosa Avakai is an acquired taste and is best had with hot steamed white rice and ghee or with pappu annam (cooked tur dal mixed with hot rice and ghee ).
Preparation:Wash a medium sized dosakaya and dry it completely.Cut the cucumber into two halves and de-seed the cucumber and cut it into small pieces or slightly big ..approx 1″ size…which should yield 2 cups of chopped pieces.
Spices required to prepare the pickle:
3 tbsps mustard powder
4 tbsps red chilli powder (use red kashmiri chillis)-you can reduce to 3 tbsps for less spice
1 1/2 tbsp salt-if required more salt can be added at a later stage
4-5 tbsp of nuvvulu nune (til or sesame seed oil)
Mix chilli pwd,mustard pwd and salt.Take a wide vessel, add the above spice-mixture and the chopped dosakaya pieces.Mix the cucumber pieces well with the spice-mixture and slowly add the oil and combine with the pieces till well coated. The cucumber pieces should be well coated and wet with the spice mixture and oil but not dripping with oil, using approx 4-5 tbsps of oil. Once the cucumber pieces are well coated and wet, check the taste of the raw cucumber pickle and if salt is insufficient, add a little more salt. If you find that the salt content is more then add a few more cucumber pieces to compensate for the saltiness of the dish.
Generally the salt content in pickles is a wee bit more than normal.You can adjust according to your liking. Now put the cucumber pieces in an absolutely clean and dry wide-mouthed ceramic jar, cover with a tight lid and keep at a moisture-free dark area of your kitchen or pantry, overnight. Next day, take a dry clean laddle and mix the cucumber pickle well.
Dosa Avakai is ready to be consumed the day after preparing the pickle (approx 24 hours).The spices and oil blend with the cucumbers which absorbs the spice-pungent flavors to form a thick paste like consistency due to the water content in the cucumbers and salt.
Certain tips to follow while preparing dosa avakai :
1.Ensure that you buy nice firm fresh looking yellow cucumbers. Dont peel the cucumbers as the skin which is edible is responsible for the crunchy texture of the pickled pieces and doesnt allow the inside of the cucumber to become too soft. Discard the seeds.Thoroughly dry the cucumber before chopping it into pieces.
2.Pickles are best prepared by using home-made freshly ground red chilli pwd and mustard pwd.If you can prepare fresh chilli pwd and mustard pwd at home,there is nothing like it.Remove the stalks of the dry Kashmiri red chillis and grind to make a fine pwd and sieve. Similarly grind the mustard seeds (use the smaller variety of black mustard seeds) to a fine rava-like pwd and sieve. These days ready-made red chilli powder and mustard powders to prepare pickles are available in the stores and you can use these store bought powders if you dont have the time , of course ensuring that they are of good quality.
3.The entire pickling process should be moisture free, be it the area where the pickling is being done or the ingredients used.
4.Use wide-mouthed ceramic jars to store the pickle to ensure easy mixing and removing of pickle for usage.Try to sterilize it with salted hot water and wash thoroughly and dry completely before storing the pickle.
5.Never ever use your hands directly while mixing and removing the pickle from the jar.Keep the ladles used for mixing or removing the pickle from the jar absolutely clean and dry.Very important you do that everytime you have to mix or remove the pickle.
6.If you follow the above precautions while preparing and storing dosa avakai, this pickled cucumber can be stored in the refrigerator for a period of 2 - 3 months or even more. If not stored in the refrigerator, dosa avakai is best consumed within 2-3 weeks of preparation.
Dosa avakai annam mudda (rice ball prepared by mixing cucumber pickle with hot steamed rice and ghee)
Recipe Source & Prep : Amma
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Tagged as: avakai, pickle, yellow_cucumber
By sailu • May 9th, 2006 • Category: All Recipes, Andhra Recipes, Chutneys & Pachadis, Pickles, South Indian Recipes, Vegetables, Vegetarian Recipes
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I try to respond to every query/comment made here. However, sometimes due to time constraints I may not be able to respond. Your inputs are highly appreciated. Thank you.
WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWwwww
noru ooristhunaru meeru….edi na favorite pickle…miss it sooo much in the US…nenu ikkada Masters chesthunanu…monna ne ma frnd India nunchi vasthu koncham theesku vachindi ..and all of us have been pouncing on the pickle box….hehehe..
The freshness of the pickle is what I love and it goes very well with the Andhra cuisine. Thank u sooo much for the recipe …I will try making it if possible. ( nenu actual ga inka recipe chadavaledu…pics choosina ventane aagalekha comment chesthunanu :-D)
Your most welcome,Priya and am glad the pictures made you feel happy..:).Tapakunda dosa avakai try cheyandi. Do let me know how it turned out.
Sailu, Your blog looks fantasic with the changes made. The presentation and the pictures are very nice and attractive. This pickle is new me, seeing for the first time in your blog. I am not sure whether we get this veggie here in the US. The pickle is so tempting:)
Thank you,Priya. Guessing by some of the comments, I think Dosakaya is available at certain stores during certain times of the year. I guess you need to find out if dosakaya is available at you local Indian store.
Never tried to make the pickle here at US though since we don’t get dosakai that often (may be once an year at the most) and even the ones that are available are usually not so good. Your presentation is sooo good that I don’t need to make it myself again
Thank you,Arjuna..:)
Hey Sailu:
I love this pickle so much. I TOTALLY miss this pickle here and the dosakaya too!
LC, I can understand what it must feel with the non-availabilty of some Indian vegetables like dosakaya in US..:(
WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
What amazing pics sailu…
I am drooling…
Notlo neellu oorutunnayi PROMISE.:):):):)
I will make this when we get dosakaya here…
Will have to check indian store.
Avakaya to patu adi khicdi aa??
Thank you,Santhi. Dosa avakai tapakunda try cheyalsina andhra vantakam! It’s simple to prepare too. Adi kichi kaadu..pappu annam.
wow dosakaaya avakaaya noru uristondi sailu naaku ikkada Us lo dosakaaya dorutundi but is does not have that tangy taste that indian dosakaaya has but ok to survive nenu chesanu ee avakaaya, I will post it some time on my blog.
Me pictures ee kotta site lo channa baguntunayi
Tanuja, mee avakai pictures chudaali ani undi. Look forward to that..:)
choostuvuntene tinnala annipistundi Sailu, nijanga noru vuristunnaru miru.
Lakshmi, dosa avakai alaanti manchi andhra vantakam,evariki aina noru vurutundi !!!
i did not mention that header is brilliantly done: the colours, the beveled edges, the kondapalli toys. these types seem to be the newer designs. where did you buy them?
about the recipe, am not a great fan of dosaavakai. not that i dont eat it, i always eat it!! but rates a bit lower than gongura or noolapodi. however, now that i read your blog and seen the last ‘mudda’ picture, i will have to get my hands to it.
do you know about kaya-avakai (or endu-avakai) that some families in north andhra make?
Suresh, the Kondapalli toys I picked up at a local arts & crafts exhibition held by the artisans.
Yes, I am aware of Endu Avakai, the sweet mango pickle, which is going to prepared in a week’s time. I love endu avakai..:)
Hi sailu,
I m a regular visitor of ur site. I open your site almost everyday before lunch specially when i have to eat the mess food. These photos give a kind of visual satisfaction.you present them so well. Dosavakaya photos are really mouth watering.
Thank you so much for dropping by and your kind words, Saroja…:)
Looks fantastic sailu! I tried making this pickle with homegrown cucumbers (regular variety) last summer. They were ok, but I missed the sour taste of mango pickles.
Your pickle looks very yummy!
cheers!
Nothing to beat the original dosakaya flavor,SH.
Wow, sailu, That’s a neat looking site …This recipe is Awesome !looking forward to see more of your mouth watering posts to inspire me…:)
Thank you, Lera…:)
Ur picture makes me want to try that immediately.Very VERY mouthwatering Sailu!!!I just want to have that with karam pappu annam…man..lovely pic…i lov ur new blog too…
Thank you,BDSN..:)
Hi Sailu,
Wow,I like like like it so much. i like the way you demonstrated and i love this with pappu as you said and especially ” aavakai mudda” also.my mom used to prepare this and we are fond of eating this with curd rice.And i think for us (ap) if avakai and any pachadi is there with hot rice , its enough to have a satisfied meal .What do you say?
nice photos.
Vineela
You can say that again, Vineela. Avakai or any pachadi with hot steamed rice and ghee is all we need to have a satisfied meal..:)
Gorgeous Sailu, your pickle presentation is - recipe and photos.
My mouth is watering just looking at your pictures, pickles do that to me.
Great recipe!
Thank you, Indira. Pickles do have that kind of magical effect on all of us..:)
Sailu, your photos are fantastic! The colours! So crisp.
Thank you, Mae…. coming from a great photographer like yourself, I am flattered..:)
1st time coming across this vegetable. Beautiful presentation.
Its not a very common vegetable found abroad, Pushpa.
now, who’s flattering who? lol.
:D)
well endu avakai is sometimes sweet but not necessarily. i like the non-bellam one; this with curd rice is what i consider as a very satisfactory meal. chewing on endu avakai pieces put out to dry, while playing around in the sun, were our summer holidays decades ago.
Yes, Suresh, we have both the sweet and savory version of endu avakai. I can relate to your comment on relishing the sun-dried mango pieces…:) Now my toddler follows suit..lol
Sailu dear,
Your site is very neat and beautiful.I also changed my web address.Please note the change. Doasakai recipe is very
delicious.These are very rare in USA . When I get this, I will try. Congrats for your new home.
Thank you,Ramya..:) .I will update my blogroll.
Hi Sailu,
Good recipe and Fantastic pictures and explanation. Thanx a lot.
Thank you,MT
Sailugaru,
That’s one awesome website. Dosavakaya is one of my favorite pickels, brings a lot of memories of when I was a kid.
I do have one question regarding the recipe tho. Do you add more oil the next day once after you mix the spice mix and cucumbers and leave it overnigt. How come the pick when you mix is very dry, but the final product is a bit liquidy?
Thank you,Madhu.
No, you dont need to add any oil the next day after mixing the spice mix with the cucumbers as the water content in the cucumbers oozes out by mixing with the spices and salt to form a paste like consistency which we call as “utah” / “oota”.
Hi sailu,
Thanks for visiting my block and leaving the comment. Yep we all have our one pot meals and thank god for em. Love the pics on your blog.
Thank you,Biblo
Meeru Chala baga chepparandi. Ma nannagaru pacchallu maha sraddhaga pedataru. Acchu aayane cheppinattu anipinchindi. Mee website kooda chala bavundi. Very well maintained. Keep it up and thanks for the nice recipe.
Hello Sailu garu chala bagundhi dosakaya avakaya.photos choostunae noru voorutundhi.mee website naku google lo dorikindhi chala bagundhi.Thanks for receipe.repae try chestanu
Sailu,
yours is the one of the best sites I have ever come across. Your recipes seem so authentic and I can’t wait to try some of them. I wish you the very best and look forward to more recipes from you. You go gal!
lisa
Hi there, thank you for the recipe, as a chili lover, i have fallen in love with this Andhra Mango Pickle eversince i moved in to Chennai last June. I am going to try making my first mango pickle soon.
I think that this is a very good recipe. Think you for it. I know that i can win now that i have your recipe
[…] Serve with plain yoghurt and some Indian pickle. […]
hi sailu..just saw ur dosavakai…as soon as i saw those pictures with rice…phew..Feeling like eating it..Nice recipe..thanks for ur decent and good website…
Hi friends,
I just wanted to know if we can prepare a pickle with fresh haldi pieces in dosavakai style. Suggest me if it is a correct idea.
Thanks
Hello Sailu Garu,
Dosakaya aavakaya looks soo yummy,I was wondering if you can post dosakaya pachadi its one of my husbands favorite recipes.
We really enjoy all your recipes…
keep up the good work..
Thanq..
Hi Sailu
I WholeHeartedly appreciate the hardwork u have put on this website.It is very very informative.Specially the pictures take me very far from here to India where my mom used to prepare all these Recepies.
On 12th November,2007,I happened to go through your website and come across the secrets(for me they are almost secrets) of preparing Andhra Yellow cucumber pickle.Immediately I asked my wife to prepare the pickle to which she obliged with same amount of curiosity.I got it ready by 15th Nov.2007.I was amazed by its pungent mouth watering taste.Frankly speaking it is for the first time in my life, I tasted a NEW pickle with 100% satisfaction. It is quite a new delicious experience. Thanks a lot.May lord Bheema bless you with many more success stories.It is really a great job from you.From: Gandhi Kosuru,Kurnool-518002,AP,India
Do you have the technical know-how to prepare pickle with drum-sticks?
hi,
i tried your dosa avakai
it came out well, as i used to see my moms preparation of this but i was unsure of how much quantity to take for one as i was browsing i saw yours and tried yours.
thank you for the receipe
namaste sailu garu,
First things first.. I too dont know how I missed ur blog. kani ippatiki micnhipoledu anipinchindi ippudu choosthe.. pics choosthuntene noru oori pothondi.. when time permits mee entire blog oka sari tiragesi choostha. anyways I need to go bazar and get ready made dosavakai ( bachelor ni kada). next time lemon pickle post cheyyandi.. bye
Hi
Its a well written recipe , very nice photo presentation
wow
sailugaaru enta ooristunnaro, ala aa mudda notlo pettukovali anipistundi. ammaamma kalipedi ala. paata rojulu anni gurtuteppistaaru. ade meelo speciality. santosham, baadha rendu vastayi. next week i will definately prepare it if i get fresh dosakayi.
it’s so tasty[:)]
Hi Sailu,
thanks for sharing this recipe.. i am going to try this out today itself to surprise my husband who is a big andhra foodie.
Thank you,
Praveena
[…] had written a few tips on how to make pickles which will help you during the pickling […]
hi,
its blessing to have sooo good instant pickle recipes.may i request u sailu why not tell us more about thekind of dry chilies u have been using coz ur pickle recipes looked so tempting colour ful.pls dont forget to tell me about how much hot or mild they r.thanks.
sailu sorry to say this but i was a regular visitor to ur website but the new looks puts me off.i hardly open it,even my friends have the same opinion
Thanks alot for your recipes. I am a subscriber to your blog. I regularly try your recipes. Great work! I never got the opportunity to learn from my Amma. I have never seen my grand parents in my life. I am learning the threads of Andhra cuisine from your blog.
Thank you