Name: Carrot & Cabbage Kosambari
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: ½ cup Carrot, grated; ½ cup Cabbage, very finely shredded; 1½ tbsp Split Yellow Mung Beans, soaked for 30 mins and drained; 1½ tbsp Fresh Coconut, grated; ½ tbsp Lemon Juice; ¼ tsp Salt, to taste; 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves, chopped; ¼ tsp Mustard Seeds, for tadka; ½ Green Chili Pepper, slit, for tadka; 3 Curry Leaves, for tadka; ⅛ tsp Asafoetida, hing; ½ tsp Cooking Oil, for tadka

35 mintotal

20 min hands-on15 min hands-off

Prep 15 min · Cook 5 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Easy
Spice: Mild

Add to your week

Method

Drain the soaked moong dal completely to ensure there is no excess water.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated carrots, shredded cabbage, drained moong dal, and fresh grated coconut.
Add salt, lemon juice, and fresh coriander. Toss the salad gently.
For the tadka (tempering): Heat the cooking oil in a small pan.
Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the slit green chilli, curry leaves, and asafoetida (hing). Sauté for a few seconds.
Pour the hot tadka over the salad mixture.
Mix thoroughly right before serving so the cabbage remains crunchy.

How to tell it's done

Extremely crunchy, light, and refreshing with soft bites of soaked lentils.

Nutrition

Per serving, from 2 servings.

77kcal

Where the calories come from

Protein3.1 g15%
Carbohydrate11.1 g55%
Fat2.7 g30%

Sugars: 3.1 g
Saturated fat: 1.3 g
Fibre: 3.3 g
Sodium: 317 mg
Potassium: 274 mg
Calcium: 33 mg
Iron: 1 mg

Estimated by calculation from the ingredient list, using USDA FoodData Central. Not a laboratory analysis.

Getting it right

Tip

Always add salt just before serving. If you salt cabbage too early, it will release water and turn the salad soggy.

What to serve it with

A traditional accompaniment in a South Indian Thali, pairs excellently with Sambar Rice.

Common mistakes

The kosambari is wet and the dal tastes raw.: Drain the soaked moong dal thoroughly, then leave it in the sieve a few minutes longer. Soaked dal holds more water than it appears to, and it goes straight into the salad without any cooking to drive it off.

Storing and reheating

Serve within an hour or two. Soaked and drained dal keeps a day in the fridge, and the vegetables can be grated a few hours ahead; combine and temper at serving.

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