Cucumber Thalipeeth - Savory Cucumber Pancakes - Kakdi Thalipeeth

Thalipeeth is a savory type of pancake popular in India and mainly with Maharastrians. Traditionally it is made by forming a dough of multigrain flour, onions, coriander and spices. These are then shaped in circles and roasted on pan by smearing some oil. A signature style of serving Thalipeeth is a dollop of fresh homemade butter on top. Thalipeeth is as one of my favorite breakfast types since childhood. Like most dishes, there are many varieties of Thalipeeth too - most popular is the Sago/Sabudana Thalipeeth but for today's post I'm sharing my absolute favorite Thalipeeth of all -Cucumber Thalipeeth known as Kakdi (Cucumber) Thalipeeth (Pancake) in Marathi Language.   

Cucumber Thalipeeth is a savory gluten free pancake which has a chewy and crispy texture(which I absolutely love). These are super easy to make requiring just a handful of ingredients. Grated cucumber, rice flour, green chillies, salt and sprinkle of sugar is all you need. I also add a bit of green onion for that extra crisp and taste. Regular onions wil work too and can be skipped as well. My mom adds semolina too which gives this dish the extra crispiness but you can omit this if you are looking for gluten-free pancakes. These are best when eaten fresh. If you keep these in casserole for a while they will go soft which is how some people might prefer warm and soft (especially kids). I love serving these with my all time favorite dip ketchup and/or Green Chutney.

Recreating my childhood favorites for my daughter is an absolute delight. She loved them making this dish even more special for me. With the rising heat, these cool cucumber pancakes make it the right kind of breakfast, don't they? 

Now to the recipe...

Ingredients:
1 cucumber peeled and grated (approximately 1 cup grated)
2-3 green chillies finely chopped (or to taste)
5-6 green onions finely chopped (optional)
¼ cup finely chopped coriander leaves
pinch of asafoetida
½ tsp cumin seeds (zeera)
¼ tsp of sugar (optional and to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
¾ cup rice flour (or as needed)
½ cup fine semolina (optional)
½ cup water (or as needed)

Method: 

In a bowl combine grated cucumber, green chillies, green onions, coriander leaves, cumin seeds, sugar, salt, pepper and give it a good mix. Let it rest for 5-10 mins. Cucumber tends to secrete water with time. Now add rice flour, semolina and mix well. Depending on how much water is secreted by cucumber you will need to add water to make a thick batter. Keep aside covered for 15 mins. 

There are two ways you can make these pancakes : Traditional and Modern

For the Traditional method: 

You will need to use a parchment paper and spread some oil on it. then add a couple of tbsp of batter on it and using your fingers spread it into a thin circle. Make 4-5 holes as shown. Heat a pan and grease it with oil. Now transfer the pancake on to the heated pan. Slowly starting from one side pull the paper off completely.  You can use a knife to seperate the batter from the paper incase its stuck. Usually oil prevents sticking and helps batter come off easily. This method may require some practice but after making 1-2 pancakes you will get the hang of it. 

For Modern and Easy method: 

Pour couple of tbsp of batter on to a heated pan which is already greased with oil. Spread it evenly and thin into a circle using a spoon. Make 4-5 holes as shown. 

After you have the pancake on the pan, add a couple of tbsp of oil around it and in the holes. cover it and cook it on medium low till the top side of the pancake batter looks no longer wet. Flip and cook the other side till cooked and develops some light brown spots. I like my pancakes crispy so I flip them a couple of times cooking for 30 seconds each side till they are done with some nice golden brown spots. 

Notes: 

• I prefer peeling and then grating the cucumber but you can grate with skin on too. 
• Semolina gives this dish a crispy texture so you can reduce or increase the amount based on how crispy you want your pancakes. 
• You can even add some turmeric powder and other spices of choice to this pancakes to customize it to your taste. I prefer it simple just the way my mom makes it. 
• Cucumber tends to secrete water especially when mixed with salt. Some may secrete more than others hence add water depending on need. 
• If you feel the cucumber's water is making the dough liquidy you can add more flour and salt to adjust the consistency. 
• You can even add some grated veggies like carrots, zucchini etc to make it like a Vegetable Thalipeeth. 
• To make these pancakes completely glutenfree - skip the semolina. Add some more rice flour as needed to make the dough

That's it, our crispy, chewy & gluten free Cucumber Thalipeeth - Savory Cucumber Pancakes are ready. Serve these hot with a side of Tomato Ketchup or Green Chutney. Enjoy!!

Happy Cooking!!
Shweta