Ingredients

Cucumber

The ingredient

Cucumbers may not be especially sweet, but they’re actually a fruit that grows on the cucumis sativus vine. Like tomatoes, cucumbers are considered “culinary vegetables” because they are used more like vegetables than fruits. Cucumbers originate in Asia and are popular in Indian cuisine. They are a main ingredient in kachumber salad, which appears as “Indian salad” on our menu.

The benefits

You may have heard the expression “cool as a cucumber.” In Ayurvedic medicine, this expression is exactly right, as cucumbers are used for their sheeta (cooling) property. They are also traditionally used to help regulate the digestive system. Modern day research has supported possible benefits of cucumbers including:

• Promoting hydration (they’re 96% water)
• Aiding in weight loss due to their high water content and low caloric content
• May help to lower blood sugar levels

How We Use Cucumber

We use cucumber as a fresh topping option for all of our dishes. We also use it in these dishes:

• Indian Salad
• Yogurt Sauce