Vegan Masala Recipe
Kachumber (Easy 10-Minute Indian Salad)
Kachumber tumbles cucumber, tomato and red onion with lemon, herbs and a pinch of spice. This ten-minute salad brings the cool crunch every rich Indian meal needs.
Recipe by Craig LogueHow our recipes are created
From the kitchen
What to expect
A good kachumber stays crisp, lightly salted, and clean-tasting. The cumin and lemon should sit in the background, letting the vegetables stay at the centre.
Serving idea
Best served simply
Serve it beside dal, chana masala, biryani, or warm rotis, and add it at the table so it keeps its crunch.
Cook the recipe
Method
- 1
Wash and chop the 1 cup cucumber, 1/2 cup red onion, 1 cup tomato, and the small optional green chili pepper into small pieces.
- 2
In a bowl, combine the chopped vegetables with 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves, 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon red chili powder, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- 3
Toss gently so the vegetables stay crisp, then taste and adjust salt or lemon if needed.
- 4
Finish with a few extra cilantro leaves if you like, and serve right away.
Gather everything first
Ingredients
- •1 cup cucumber, chopped
- •1/2 cup red onion, chopped
- •1 cup tomato, chopped
- •1 green chili pepper, small, optional, chopped
- •1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, chopped
- •1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- •1/4 teaspoon red chili powder (mirchi powder)
- •2 teaspoons lemon juice
- •1/4 teaspoon salt
A few useful notes
Notes
- •Kachumber is best made just before serving, while the cucumber and tomato still hold their texture. If it sits too long, the salt will draw out liquid and soften the vegetables.
- •Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 1 day in a covered container, but the salad will lose some crunch. Stir before serving and drain off excess liquid if needed.
- •If your tomatoes are very juicy, seed them first so the salad stays bright rather than watery. For a sharper salad, add a little more lemon; for more heat, keep the green chili in.
Learn the technique
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