My version of the Gujarati Kachumber Salad (or Kachoomer Salad) is from the well written cookbook, Gujarati Kitchen, by Bhanu Hajratwala. I have followed the recipe, except for the presentation - with a mixed rather than a layered salad as advised in the book. I have used the same ingredients as in the recipe by including raw mango, fresh radish and carrots apart from the standard onion, tomato and cucumber. The pomegranates added to the medley of flavours and textures.
This month, on our Facebook Group, Shhhhh Cooking Secretly Challenge, the theme was Gujarati Cuisine. I paired up with the lively Sasmita Sahoo Samanta, and we exchanged 'secret ingredients' that we each used in our Gujarati recipes. We posted the image of the dish and the other members of the group had to guess which were the 2 secret ingredients. As you can imagine, its a lot of fun and lively interaction as each member tries to quickly guess the specified ingredients which are often not the main ingredients in the recipe.
Sasmita blogs on First Timer Cook, and the secret ingredients for her were lilva (fresh tuvar or green pea beans) and wheat flour, not an usual combination! Using these 2 plus other ingredients as required, she made this delicious lip smacking Lilva Kachori chaat. Do visit her blog, it has recipes ranging from Baking to Beverages as well as No cooking ones, Gluten free, No Onion - No Garlic and Healthy recipes, among many others.
I made Kachumber Salad using the ingredients Sasmita gave me, viz Radish and Lemon. The salad is a basic and simple one, but the taste is really good, specially as the days are becoming hotter, and anything which does not require cooking, gets my vote!
While making the Kachumber Salad, I had the advantage of fresh, zero pesticide vegetables supplied by First Agro Farms : crisp sharp tasting radish, ripe red tomatoes, cucumbers bursting with cooling juices, hot green chilies and the lovely yellow carrots.
Here are some more recipes on the blog, to beat the heat this summer:
Panakam - A Jaggery and Dry Ginger drink
Ajo Blanco - A Chilled soup of Grapes and Almonds
Pink Gazpacho - Chilled Watermelon and Cucumber Soup
Kachumber Salad - Colourful Fresh Summer Cooler in 10 minutes
Ingredients
- ¼ cup onion or 1 small onion
- ¼ cup white radish or ½ a medium radish
- ¼ cup red radish or 4 small red radishes/ ½ long pink radish
- ½ cup Red Tomato 1 firm red tomato
- ½ cup cucumber or 1 cucumber
- ¼ cup Raw Green Mango or ½ a medium raw mango
- ¼ cup red carrot or 1 small carrot
- ¼ cup yellow carrot optional. Use ½ cup of the regular carrots instead
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ cup Pomegranate ariels
- 1 -2 Green chillies
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or juice from 1 large lemon
Instructions
- The salad is best served chilled hence plan to prepare and mix it at least an hour before it is required. It tastes best when served the same day. If serving a day or so later, just slice all the veggies as in instructions below except for the cucumber and do not add salt, lemon juice, chilli or the garnish. Cover and store in the fridge. About an hour before serving, toss the sliced veggies with the chilli, salt and lemon juice. Add the garnish and store covered, in the fridge, till required.
- Wash all the vegetables and greens. Peel the onion, raw green mango, carrots and white radish. Peel the cucumber if desired. Do not peel the red/pink radish as it adds to the colours of the salad. Chop the onion, radish, cucumber, carrots, mango and tomato into small, even sized pieces. Slice the green chilli and the coriander leaves. Cut the lemon and squeeze the juice.
- Mix the sliced veggies together in a large bowl and toss with a little salt, the chilli and the lemon juice. Check for taste and add a little more salt if required. Garnish with pomegranate ariels and coriander leaves. Cover and keep in the fridge till you are ready to serve the salad. Serve chilled.
poonampagar says
The kachumber looks so vibrant and refreshing ... Perfect summer treats !
poonampagar says
The salad looks so vibrant and refreshing ..perfect summer treats !
Sujata Shukla says
Thank you for the appreciation, Poonam!
Nisa @ FlavourDiary says
loved the beautiful and colourful salad...delicious healthy share...yum
Sujata Shukla says
Thank you so much, Nisa!
Seema Doraiswamy Sriram says
Love the medley of colours and the use of pomegranate nd radishes.
Sujata Shukla says
Thank you Seema!
Batter Up With Sujata says
I love kachumbar salad. And this looks so colourful and inviting. Lovely share.
Sujata Shukla says
Thank you, Sujata!
Priya Mahesh says
perfect for this summer
Sujata Shukla says
Thank you Priya, yes isn’t it!
Aruna says
Thanda thanda cool cool is the first thing that comes to mind when I look at this salad. Its vibrant colour is what first caught my eye and this is THE salad for the summer that is upon us.
Sujata Shukla says
Thank you Aruna! I keep coming back to this quick and easy salad for lunch - it goes with anything!
Vidya Narayan says
Fresh and healthy ingredients. What I loved is the use of organic vegetables for the making of the dish. Thoughtful and need of the hour initiative. Great share!
Sujata Shukla says
Thank you Vidya for taking the time to drop by and comment on the recipe!
Vidya Narayan says
My pleasure
The Girl Next Door says
Gujaratis are known to make a variety of interesting, delicious kachumber (salad), using whatever is in season. Your mixed veggie salad looks absolutely breath-taking - so colourful and delish! 🙂
Sujata Shukla says
Thanks so much Priya!
Kavitha says
Brilliant. The flavours are hitting me beautifully as I devour this one. Along with the gazpacho, this is a must have summer treat.
Sujata Shukla says
Thank you Kavita! So glad you tried it out and liked it!
Batter Up With Sujata says
Often make kachumbar salad but never used raw mango. Love the idea. Your salad looks so refreshing and delicious.
Sujata Shukla says
Thank you so much, Sujata
Aruna says
This Kachumber is what is needed to cool the palate and the body in summer. It is also so pleasing to the eye with all its vibrant colours.
Sujata Shukla says
Thank you for the nice remarks, Aruna! The colours are refreshing indeed!
mayurisjikoni says
The famous kachumbar has been also introduced to the Kenyan cuisine. They now claim it as their own creation, but it very much was introduced in Kenya by the Gujarati community. Lovely refreshing and as you mentioned can have it as a light meal with soup. I love how you've added other veggies and pomegranate.
Sujata Shukla says
Thank you Mayuri. The pomegranates and radish etc are as per the recipe in the Gujarati Kitchen Cook Book, and I liked the idea!