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Indian

Punjabi Mooli Lacha Salad

Mooli lacha salad shreds radish fine and dresses it with green chilli and lemon.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 6 September 2026Updated

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Punjabi Mooli Lacha Salad

10 mintotal

Prep 10 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
Mild
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

Ten minutes. Dress it at the table — the black salt and lemon go on last for a reason.

Method

  1. Wash, peel, and trim the ends of the white radishes. Using a grater with large holes, grate the radishes into long strands (lachhas).

  2. Place the grated radish in a bowl. Do not squeeze out the water unless it is extremely watery, as the natural juice holds a lot of the flavor.

  3. Add the fine ginger juliennes, slit green chillies, and fresh coriander leaves to the radish strands.

  4. Pour the fresh lemon juice and sprinkle the black salt right before serving to prevent the radish from releasing too much water.

  5. Toss lightly with a fork to mix.

How to tell it's done

Extraordinarily crisp, juicy strands with a sharp, peppery bite from the radish and ginger.

Getting it right

Tip

Always add salt to mooli at the absolute last second. If salted too early, it will collapse into a watery soup.

What to serve it with

A mandatory accompaniment for Makki ki Roti and Sarson ka Saag, or any heavy Punjabi Dal.

Common mistakes

The salad floods with radish water.
Salt and lemon go on immediately before serving, as the recipe says. Grated radish salted even ten minutes early will sit in a pool, and the strands go limp with it.
The radish tastes bitter and harsh.
Trim the ends generously and peel properly — the skin and the tip carry most of the bitterness. A very large radish is also more pungent than two small ones.

Substitutions

  • Red radish or daikon both work; red radish is sharper and stains the salad pink.
  • Chaat masala can replace the black salt if you want it a little more complex.

Storing and reheating

Serve straight away. Grated radish can be kept undressed in the fridge for a few hours in a covered box, but once dressed the salad has minutes rather than hours.