Cucumber Salad (Kosumbari)

from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu

Moong dal - 50 gms
Chana dal - 50 gms
4-5 green chilies
coriander leaves- a small bunch
freshly grated coconut - from 1/2 a coconut
Fresh cucumber - 1
Lime - 1/2
Mustard seeds - 2 tsps.
asafoetida - a pinch

Soak 50 gms each of moong dal and chana dalseparately for one hour. Grate the coconut to get a handful of grated coconut. Drain the water from the moong dal and chana dal. Peel one cucumber and cut it into small pieces of the size of a pea. Chop two green chilies.Keep one spoon of oil in a kadai, warm it and put mustard.

Wait till they splutter , then put the chopped green chilies, turn around and put a pinch of hing (asafoetida). Put the entire thing onto the moong dal and chana dal. Add salt to taste and then squeeze the juice of half a lime (green variety). Turn around and then garnish the grated coconut.

Traditional Salads - Indian Salads & Raithas