Kachumber (Indian Chopped Salad)
Kachumber is a delightful crunchy indian salad of diced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, green chillies, cilantro, lime or lemon and spices.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion diced small
- 2 medium tomatoes diced small
- 1 large cucumber diced small
- ⅓ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 indian green chillies chopped, adjust to taste
For The Dressing
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
- ½ teaspoon black salt (kala namak) if available else use salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder fresh ground is great
- ¼ teaspoon roasted cumin powder
Instructions
- Add all the diced vegetables to a bowl. Add the chopped cilantro and green chillies.
- Add all the listed dressing ingredients. Toss together using your hands. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Marinate for a short while(3-5 minutes). Serve.
- Kachumber cannot be stored. It tastes best when prepared fresh and served right away.
Notes
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- Use Fresh vegetables - Use crisp cucumbers, ripe(but firm) tomatoes, and fresh cilanonions. Fresh ingredients will enhance the overall taste and texture of the salad.
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- Keep it Cold - For the best flavor, add cold cucumbers and tomatoes to the salad. Additionally, refrigerate the salad while marinating to maintain a refreshing temperature.
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- Uniform Cut- Try to keep the sizes of the vegetables similar not mater how large or small you cut them.
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- Avoid Making Ahead- Prepare the kachumber salad just before serving. After 10-15 minutes, the vegetables will start releasing water, causing a loss of crunchiness. Enjoy the salad immediately to savor its fresh and crisp texture.
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- Feel free to adjust the vegetable quantities according to your preference. I like to keep the quantity of cucumbers and tomatoes slightly more than onions(else onion gets overpowering), however you can use equal amount of vegetables.
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- Skip green chillies if making for kids.
- Add fruits like diced up mangoes, pineapples, pomegranate arils or kiwi for a fruity twist to kachumber.
- For extra texture and taste, include roasted peanuts or cashews in the salad. Alternatively, to add a delightful crunch, you can use pumpkin or pepitas seeds as a nut-free option.
- To make your Kachumber salad more substantial, include boiled chickpeas, red kidney beans, or sprouted lentils. These protein-rich additions provide a heartier and more satisfying salad. I have a similar recipe using sprouted moong dal that uses the same vegetables.
- Although not traditionally common in Kachumber salad, if you enjoy the refreshing taste of mint, feel free to add a few leaves to your salad. It adds a pleasant herbal note to the overall flavor profile.
- As I already mentioned, you could add chopped red radish, sweet peppers, shredded carrots or avocados.
- Add chaat masala if you like.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!