Note: This is the fourth of seven recipe installments, which compose a classic Northern Indian Feast. Fine Indian cuisine is not noted for its brevity. The good news is that each of Achla Karnani’s recipes may be made well in advance, then reheated (with the exception of this cold salad) prior to serving. Or divide the recipes amongst your friends, staging your own Indian Feast pot luck. All spices and dry ingredients are available at Indian grocery stores, Bombay Grocers on Packard in Ann Arbor.
Kachoombar, Kachumbar or Cachoombar — all these words mean “chopped” and refer to this classic Indian salad.
Searching for chaat masala in Achla's Indian pantry.
It’s the simplest of the recipes we learned, but it’s as important a component to our feast as the more complex dishes, such as the Chicken Biryani. It cuts the richness of the other foods served and complements, even accelerates, the flavor profiles of these more intense dishes.
Achla says this is a great healthy salad all on its own. “Absolutely no fat and delicious. I take it to work. Chop up the veggies and put in baggies — with the spices on the side. Assemble everything in the office.”
Chopped cilantro was a component of every dish in our Indian Feast.
Yesterday I posted a Chicken Biryani, the days prior to that a recipe for Indian Cauliflower and Green Tomato Curry. Through the middle of next week, I will submit postings for Dal (Black Lentil Purée), Cucumber-Tomato Salad, Meatballs and Chapati. If you’re a fan of the kaleidoscopic cuisine of India, particularly Northern India, you may be interested in following them.
Achla diced the red, round radishes Americans are most familiar in this recipe, but diced daikon, also in the radish family, would be a good substitute.
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