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Kachumber
Cucumber tomato onion salad
Kachumber (कचुंबर): chopped cucumber, tomato and onion salad with lemon, salt and roasted cumin
No North Indian or Gujarati thali is complete without a little heap of kachumber, the chopped salad that cuts through rich dal makhani, biryani or chhole in homes and dhabas from Delhi to Ahmedabad. Cucumber, tomato and onion are diced small and dressed only with lemon juice, salt, chilli and roasted cumin, so it stays crisp and sharp. A portion is about 40 kcal. The most common mistake is salting it too early; salt draws the water out of the cucumber and tomato and leaves a soggy puddle, so dress it just before serving. Chef's tip: soak the chopped onion in iced water for 5 minutes and drain; it loses its harsh bite and stays crunchy.
- Total time
- 10 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 cucumberabout 300 g, cut into 5 mm dice
- 2 tomatoesfirm, seeded, cut into 5 mm dice
- 1 red onionsmall, finely chopped
- 1 green chilli (optional)finely chopped
- ⅓ oz fresh corianderchopped
- 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp roasted ground cumin
- ¼ tsp chaat masala (optional)
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Put 1 red onion in a bowl of iced water for 5 minutes, then drain well and pat dry.
5 minStep 2: Combine 1 cucumber, 2 tomatoes, the onion, 1 green chilli and ⅓ oz fresh coriander in a bowl. Chill until needed.
Step 3: Just before serving, add 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp roasted ground cumin and ¼ tsp chaat masala and toss. Taste: it should be bright, salty and a little sour. Serve within 15 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 40 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 7 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kachumber take?
- About 10 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 cucumber?
- Courgette, same weight (in salads, use young ones).
- What can I use instead of tomatoes?
- Tinned chopped tomatoes: a 400g tin for about 6 tomatoes (in cooked dishes, not salads).
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