carrot salad with coconut, cilantro and lentils

By anu • October 15, 2010 • 6 Comments

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Author Notes: This is a yummy, beautiful and nutritious salad made of shredded carrots, coconut, lentils and cilantro. It is based on a south indian recipe commonly known as kosambari. The recipe, like most Indian recipes, is not strict. You can add more or less of anything according to your taste. - anu

Serves 2

1 cup Shredded carrots
1/4-1/2 cup Shredded fresh coconut
1/4 cup Finely chopped Cilantro
1/4 cup Chana daal or split-washed moong daal
Lime juice and salt, to taste
Green chillies, to taste (optional)
1 teaspoon Black mustard seeds
1 pinch Asafoetida
1 Whole dry red chilli
2-3 fresh curry leaves
2 teaspoons oil

Soak the lentils or daal in water till they are soft. It’ll take 2-3 hours. Alternatively, you can boil them in the microwave for 5 minutes and then rinse under cold water. The goal is to make them soft but still retain the crunch.
Combine shredded carrots, coconut, lentils, cilantro, green chillies, lime juice and salt in a bowl.
In a small pan, heat up the oil. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Then add whole dry red chilli, asafoetida and curry leaves. Saute for 10 seconds and take off the heat. Keep the flame low throughout so as to not burn the tempering.
Add the tempering to the salad and combine thoroughly.
You can eat it chilled or at room temperature.