Salads don’t exist in traditional Pakistani and North Indian cuisine. At least not in the way we know them here. Enter your email below and get it sent straight to your inbox. Plus, get recipes & tips every week! Yet growing up, something we called a salad (often pronounced sa-laad) would be present at many meals. This salad was really just a plate of sliced veggies, namely onions, cucumbers, and carrots. Taken up a notch, said veggies would be diced up and and tossed with a snazzy ‘dressing’ of salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Now you’ve got one of the only salads in South Asian cuisine with a proper name – Kachumber Salad.
What is Kachumber Salad
The word “kachumber”, which we pronounce ka-choo-mer, means “mince”. So Kachumber salad is a mix of minced veggies. Though an ordinary salad in and of itself, it lends freshness, vibrance, and texture to otherwise warming and hearty South Asian fare. Depending on the region, there are many variations of Kachumber salad, and there is no wrong way to make it.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are the somewhat essential ingredients. Feel free to alter proportions to taste.
Tomato: Choose a flavorful, ripe tomato that’s firm enough so that it doesn’t disintegrate while you’re chopping. Sub: Any tomato. Try cherry or grape tomatoes for a hint of sweetness. Red Onion: I use red onions because they aren’t too sharp when raw. Sub: Shallots or yellow onions. Lemon or lime, depending on the taste you’re going for. Sub: Apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. Start with 1 teaspoon since it can be slightly more acidic than lemon juice. Cucumber: Use regular, English, or mini (Persian). Peeling the cucumber reduces any chance of bitterness. If your cucumber is mild, feel free to leave peel on if you enjoy the extra crunch. Cilantro: Sub: Mint leaves, which play well with Desi flavors. Salt & Pepper: I prefer fine sea salt because it dissolves quicker than kosher. Reduce the black pepper if you’ll be adding any spicy elements such as a green chili pepper.
How to Chop the Vegetables for Kachumber
I’m pretty lackadaisical about this but if you’re going for praise from aunties, try to dice the vegetables around the same size. There is no ‘right way’ to chop the veggies, but here’s how I do it (also shown in video):
Cucumbers: Once halved, I slice them lengthwise, then into long strips, then cube them. Onions: Since my red onions are quite large, I just take a chunk and dice as shown in the video. Tomatoes: Normally I do this by chopping the tomato lengthwise, then the whole thing widthwise. I’ll then roughly chop this mixture to get a smaller cut. For the video (i.e. for presentation), I’ve cut each piece into strips, then cubed. (Tip: If your knife isn’t particularly sharp, use a serrated knife to chop tomatoes.)
Place all the ingredients in a small serving bowl and toss to combine.
Variations and Add-ins
Here are some common or interesting variations and add-ins:
Add heat with 1/8 tsp red chili powder or cayenne, or a finely chopped, deseeded green chili pepper. Make it seasonal with crunchy vegetables like a carrots (my favorite!) or radishes in the winter or corn or bell peppers in the summer. For a sweet element, add pomegranate seeds, diced mango, or golden raisins. To enhance texture and warmth, sprinkle roasted cumin powder, chili flakes, or other spices. For a layer of deep flavor, add a minced garlic clove.
What to Serve this Kachumber Salad With
Although you could serve Kachumber with most main dishes, it goes exceptionally well with:
Fish and seafood recipes. Kababs. Soupy curries like Chicken Curry. Rice dishes like Pulao. All dals, especially soupy ones like Masoor Dal. Crunchy snacks like Papad/Papadam.
More “Salads” and Accompaniments
Chaats count as salads, right? We have Fruit Chaat and Dahi Bara Chaat. Yogurt Raita Restaurant-Style Mint Raita
Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please consider leaving a comment telling me how it was! You can also take a quick picture and upload it directly into the comments. If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you. Thank you!
