Kachumbari
Kenyan and Tanzanian fresh tomato, onion and chilli salad
Kachumbari is the raw salad that goes with nearly everything in Kenya and Tanzania: nyama choma grills in Nairobi, pilau on the Swahili coast, chips mayai at roadside stalls and ugali at home. It is simply ripe tomato and red onion cut small, with coriander, chilli and lime, and sometimes cucumber or avocado. Chef's tip: soak the sliced onion in salted water for ten minutes; it takes away the harsh bite without losing the crunch.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Put 1 red onion in a bowl, cover with cold water and 1 tsp salt and leave for 10 minutes. Drain and squeeze gently.
10 minStep 2: Mix the onion with 4 ripe firm tomatoes, 1 green chilli, 1 small bunch fresh coriander, ½ cucumber and 1 avocado.
Step 3: Add 2 tbsp lime juice and ½ tsp salt just before serving and toss. Common mistake: salting it early — the tomatoes go watery. Serve within the hour.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 50 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 1 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kachumbari take?
- About 15 minutes in total.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of red onion?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
- What can I use instead of ripe firm tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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