When It comes to Indian cuisine salads are not the first thing that comes to mind. That’s because in traditional Indian cooking vegetables are part of the main course and not side dish so much. The way we Indians eat salads is either raw, lightly cooked tempered with spices or take bites of raw veggies along with curries and always as part of a meal. Kosambri or Kosumbir is a colorful delicious salad popular in the western and south of India, composed of crunchy vegetables, hydrated lentils, fresh herbs and finished with tempered spices.
Kosumbir always features at wedding, festive buffets, parties as much as everyday meals. This salad starts with soaking yellow split lentils also called moong dal, soaking activates, softens the lentils and makes it easy to chew and digest, yes you can eat raw moong lentils. Then we add regular salad veggies like cucumber, onions, carrots, cilantro and a little fruit that is optional, but we like it. Oh I almost forgot, freshly grated coconut!. Fresh grated coconut adds a soft creamy component to the salad giving it a unique texture. You can find fresh grated coconut in frozen form in Indian grocery stores, they make decent substitute for fresh. But if you have the time and access to fresh coconut nothing like it. Freshly grated coconut should not to be confused for packaged coconut flakes, hydrating dried coconut is not the same and just doesn’t cut it. Finally a tempering of mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves and asafetida is added to bring in all the flavors just like a vinaigrette would bring all the flavors together. This salad is wonderful on its own, but it’s best as an accompaniment to curries, rice dishes, its delicious with a side of grilled protein or even spooned into lettuce and a squeeze of lime juice.
Raw Lentil Chopped Salad Serves 5-6
- 1/3 cup split yellow Moong beans
- 2 medium carrots, scrubbed, finely chopped or shredded
- 3 Persian cucumbers, finely chopped
- ½ cup red onions finely diced, 1 medium
- ½ cup fresh shredded coconut meat, frozen works well
- ½ cup pomegranate arils or any one fruit( diced apple, orange segments, grapes, mango), optional but recommended
- TEMPERING
- 2 tablespoons avocado or neutral oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 5-7 curry leaves
- kosher salt as needed about ½ teaspoon
- 1-3 hot green chillies, chopped
- pinch of asafetida
- ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
Instructions
- Rinse and wash the lentils until the water runs clear. Soak for 2 hours or until the lentils have plumped into double their size.
- Drain well for about 15 minutes. The soaking liquid can be discarded or I like to recycle the water and use it water my outdoor plants.
- Defrost the coconut if using, no need to drain. Chop and prep all the vegetables and set aside. Once the lentils are well drained pat them with paper towel, you don’t want soggy lentils.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the soaked lentils with all the chopped veggies, coconut and pomegranate, keep refrigerated. Hold the salt if not serving right away.
- Right before serving, add the salt, lemon juice and mix well. Heat a small skillet or frying pan on medium heat, add the oil. Once the oil is hot, lower the heat and gently add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry and asafetida. The seeds will pop and splutter so its good idea to have a pan lid or plate to shield the splutter, don’t fully cover.
- Once the spluttering subsides, tear or agitate the curry leaves to activate the natural oils and add it to the tempering along with the green chillies if using. Take it off the heat and allow the sizzle and popping to natural subside. Spoon or drizzle the tempering all over the salad to coat. Add the cilantro, lemon juice and salt if needed. Mix everything very well and serve.
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