Kosambari, a south Indian salad made from pulses like Bengal gram and green gram, seasoned with mustard seeds is an amazing side dish from Karnataka. Also offered as prasad at temples too, it’s sometimes eaten as snacks.
Ingredients
¼ cup moong dal
water as needed to soak moong dal
1.5 cups finely chopped cucumber
3 tbsp grated coconut
1 green chili – chopped or ½ tsp chopped
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
½ tsp lemon juice or add as required
Salt as required
Ingredients
For tempering:
2 tsp oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
5 to 6 curry leaves – chopped or kept whole
Rinse moong lentils a couple of times in water. Soak them for minimum 30 minutes. Later drain all the water and add the soaked moong lentils in a bowl.
Add finely chopped cucumber, fresh grated coconut, chopped coriander leaves and green chillies.
Squeeze some lemon juice. You can add lemon juice less or more as per your requirements. Mix everything very well.
For tempering, heat oil in a small pan and then add mustard seeds. Let the mustard seeds crackle. Keep the heat to a low.
Once the mustard seeds crackle, add 5 to 6 curry leaves and a pinch of asafoetida. Stir and then switch off the heat.
Pour the tempering mixture in the salad. Mix well. Add salt before serving as if added earlier, the cucumber releases water.
Add salt as required. Mix very well and serve straightaway. Serve kosambari salad as a side salad with your meals.