When I saw a cucumber pancakes submission for my “5 Surprising Cucumber Dishes from Around the World” series, I knew I had to try it. I love any bread-adjacent bases, and the addition of cucumber sounded so interesting in this kakadiche dhirde dish. The result was a uniquely delicious outcome with yet another innovative way to incorporate cucumbers into our diets!

This kakadiche dhirde recipe comes from Aary in India, who loves cucumber pancakes because of the way they simultaneously melt in your mouth and provide a pleasant crunchy texture. His grandmother used to pack these for his school lunch, so many of Aary’s fond memories are tied to this recipe; it is not a popular dish in India, but he still enjoys this personal childhood favorite!

I have never had anything like this! The texture is not similar to a pancake or crepe as one might expect; it was definitely more bread-like due to the use of rice flour. However, this means that my gluten-free peeps are welcome to enjoy this dish as is! I highly recommend eating with some curd, as this adds a little something to this lightly spiced dish yet still allows the cucumber to shine. Although you’d think cucumbers might go soggy after coming into contact with water and heat, you’d be pleasantly surprised! They stay perfectly crunchy throughout the cooking process, providing a perfect texture variance within these scrumptiously soft pancakes. 

Aary tells us that you can even use ingredients like jaggery in place of the spices when making kakadiche dhirde to create a sweet version of this dish; pair it with yogurt, and this sounds amazing! Who knew cucumbers could be so versatile? I expected all cucumber-based dishes to have raw cucumbers in them, but there are so many ways to prepare this humble fruit. I am pleasantly surprised!

If you’re interested in trying Indian cooking, this is a relatively simple recipe with few ingredients. Give it a whirl and let me know what you think!