Cucumber dal

This is a dal that my mother learnt from her friends in Bangalore. Native to the region, I love it, because it has so many tastes that I love- raw garlic, raw ground mustard, coconut and tamarind. The cucumber makes it a more balanced dish too.

1 measure tur dal (or channa dal), cooked with haldi powder

1 cucumber cut into pieces and steamed

Salt to taste

For ground masala

2 tsp mustard/rai

2 tbsp grated coconut

1 marble sized ball tamarind

2-3 pods garlic

2 red chillies

Grind the ingredients listed under "ground masala" with a little bit of water, till you get a smooth paste.
Add to the cooked dal, add the steamed cucumber pieces and salt to taste, and bring to boil.
Serve with rice or roti.