Carrot Kosambari Salad Recipe

A quick detour to southern India today to discover a sumptuous salad: kosambari! Be careful, though, in India, we don't talk about salad, but rather Kachumber. Salads generally include a legume base, to which peppers, pomegranates, herbs, and, for the past few decades, ingredients in a more modern form such as grated carrots or mango cut into small cubes, are added.

The specificity of our salad of the day, kusambari, lies in the presence of mung dal, or mung beans, grated coconut, and for seasoning, grain mustard and curry leaves. Note that the dal is not cooked here, but soaked for a long time in water as for tabbouleh. If this dish is a common snack, eaten in all circumstances, it is essential during celebrations, such as weddings, or religious festivities where it is served as a starter, or given as an offering in temples (the Prasada).

Kosambari Salad, a traditional South Indian salad, is made from ingredients like moong dal, cucumber, coriander leaves, coconut and lemon. It is very easy to make and does not require much spice or frills. It is included in satvik food and can be eaten even during fasting.

Carrot Kosambari Salad is a refreshing and healthy salad with carrot, moong dal and coconut made for the Rama Navami festival. Kosambari is rich in protein and a delicious salad.

A very popular salad in Karnataka is named as Hesaru bele carrot kosambari salad. This can be served as a side dish with meals or can also be enjoyed as it is. It is so tempting and attractive that kids will love it especially for its look.

When coconut is added to this Kosambari Salad, its taste increases even more. Kosambari Salad recipe cannot be called Kosambari unless it is seasoned with curry leaves and mustard. This means that curry leaves, mustard and coconut are specially used in this recipe. Let's see how this recipe can be prepared at home.

Ingredients

• 1 carrot
• 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsp moong dal
• 2 tablespoons coconut
• 2 teaspoons oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 green chili
• 5 curry leaves
• 1/8 teaspoon hing

Instructions

1. Soak moong dal in water for at least 1 hour. Rinse it well then drain and set aside. Heat the oil in a tadka pan – add oil, mustard seeds, green chili, curry leaves, hing, let it pop. Turn off the heat and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl – add carrot along with moong dal, tadka, coconut, lemon juice and required salt. Mix well. Adjust salt and lemon juice to taste. Serve!

Tips

You can steam the moong dal and add it too if you don't like the raw taste. But traditionally, moong dal is only added raw.

Add coconut and raw mango for extra flavor.

The quantity of moong dal is your wish, you can add even add 1/4 cup for 1 cup of carrot.