From Tears to Taste: The Cucumber Pachadi I Still Remember

I’ll say it out loud. I don’t like cucumber. I know it’s healthy, refreshing, and everything people say it is, and I truly appreciate it for all of that. But eating it? Not really my thing. Except there’s one version. A version with a little salt, a little chilli, a little oil that somehow turns something I avoid into something I quietly look forward to. And that version takes me back to someone very special.

An aunty who lived upstairs in our apartment. She was a teacher, a very good one, and a very strict one. The kind you’re a little scared of, but also listen to without question. She was one of my mom’s closest friends, so at some point it was decided that she would tutor me. She had a son too, and I used to call him anna.

I still remember one afternoon when she was teaching me maths. She asked me a question, and I was trying my best to understand it, even though I clearly didn’t. Somewhere in between my confusion and anna adding something more to the question, things went a little out of hand. Before I could even process anything, she slapped me.

I was too shocked to react. I didn’t cry there. I just sat quietly for a while, trying to make sense of what had happened, and then I walked downstairs. The moment I saw my amma, I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I cried like I had been waiting just for that moment.

A few hours later, aunty came down. She spoke to my mom and suggested that we all have dinner together. Then she came to me and gently asked if she had hurt me too much. I had already cried everything out by then, but hearing her ask that brought the tears back again.

And then she said she had made something special for me, something I could eat with both roti and rice. I didn’t think much of it until I smelled it. That warm, familiar aroma of oil, mustard seeds, a hint of chilli, and the soft presence of hing slowly filling the space. And there it was. Cucumber. The same cucumber I never really liked.

But this felt different. She had cut it into the tiniest cubes, almost like she wanted every bite to be perfect. Mixed with a simple tempering, just enough oil to bring everything together, just enough spice to make it interesting. It was simple, slightly spicy, and unbelievably comforting.

I tried it with roti first, then with rice, and somewhere along the way, I knew exactly where it belonged for me. Curd rice. That combination just felt right. Somewhere between those bites, something softened. Not just my opinion about cucumber, but something deeper.

She was still the same strict teacher, but she was also someone who cared enough to come down, to check on me, and to make something just to make me feel better. She later moved to another place in Hyderabad, but she still visits sometimes. And now, when she sees me, there’s only warmth in her eyes. A quiet kind of pride. The kind that comes from watching someone grow.

And somehow, that feels like a blessing I’ll always carry with me 🤍

Ingredients:

• Cucumber (keera), finely chopped into small cubes
• Oil, 2–3 teaspoons
• Mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon
• Chilli powder
• Hing (asafoetida), a small pinch 
• Cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon
• Onion seeds or kalonji, 1 teaspoon 
• Salt, to taste

Instructions:

• Finely chop the cucumber into small, even cubes and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan on medium flame.
• Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and onion seeds and let them splutter.
• Add red chilli powder towards the end in oil and a pinch of hing, letting the aroma release gently.
• Add the chopped cucumber and mix well.
• Add the entire mixture to cucumber cubes and add salt as required. This wouldn't require much salt.

Srishti’s Secret Tip for the Perfect Plate:

Cut the cucumber really fine. That tiny, even texture is what makes every bite feel balanced, letting the tempering coat each piece beautifully and making it taste far more comforting than it actually is.

Srishti’s Healing Tip for the Perfect Plate:

Some food doesn’t just feed you, it quietly mends something inside you. Eat this slowly, maybe with curd rice, and let it remind you that even the simplest gestures of care can stay with you for a lifetime.

Why You’ll Love This:

• A simple dish that feels deeply comforting
• Perfect with roti, rice, and especially curd rice
• Light, yet full of flavour
• A beautiful way to enjoy cucumber even if you usually don’t
• Feels like something made just for you