Made using freshly chopped veggies, Kachumber is a fresh, crunchy Indian salad that doesn’t need any cooking and can be rustled up whenever hunger strikes. Pair it with any Indian meal for a taste lift! Here is how to make it.
Want more easy peasy Indian salads like this Kachumber, then you can try these too – Old Fashioned Kidney Bean Salad, Sprouts Salad, and Kakdi Chi Koshimbir.
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About This Recipe
A simple salad is a must in my home, especially when lunch is served. There are so many salad recipes, but during our meals, we need something simple, tasty, and light to serve on the side. And those are the days, I make Kachumber.
Well, you must be thinking what does Kachumber mean? Kachumber is a Hindi word, that is often used for something that is a simple mixture of two or more vegetables, and in this Kachumber salad, we are using finely chopped cucumber, tomatoes, and onions.
The best part is it gets ready in just 10 minutes. All you have to do is chop the veggies and flavor them with some salt, pepper, and lime juice.
Green chilies and a little red chili powder are added to spice it up, and coriander leaves for the refreshing taste.
I like to call it Indian salsa too, as it is prepared very similarly to the all-time favorite Tomato Salsa. Kachumber is also very popular in Parsi cuisine and is a must serve with Dhansak.
You can even try a Gujarati style Kachumber in the summers when fresh mangoes hit the local markets. All you have to do is add some finely chopped ripe mangoes, as it adds a hint of sweetness to this spicy tangy salad. You can also go for raw mangoes instead of fresh ripe ones.
Just like Mexican Pico De Gallo, this kachoomar is
- Light
- Easy to make
- Crunchy & Fresh
- Juicy & Cooling
- Flavorful
- Vegan
- Gluten-Free
- Oil-free
Ingredients
To make this salad, you need everyday ingredients that will be already available in your pantry.
Vegetables – You will need tomato, cucumber, green chili, fresh coriander, lime, and onions. You can even add finely chopped mixed bell peppers, beetroot, and boiled potatoes, to make this dish even more interesting.
While green chilies add that much-needed spiciness, coriander adds the freshness that compliments the overall taste of the salad really well.
When green mangoes are in season, add some to give it a nice tang and crunch.
Pomegranate – This is completely optional! I like to add it for extra crunch and also a little hint of sweetness it adds.
Salt and Pepper – To season it you will need just salt and pepper. That’s it! If you like it to be tangier, you can add in some chaat masala powder or kala namak too.
Lime Juice – This provides the much-needed tang in the kachoomer. You can also use vinegar in place of lemon or lime juice. Try adding different varieties of vinegar for change in taste.
How to make Kachumber?
Start by preparing the vegetables. Peel the onions and chop them. Chop the tomatoes and cucumber. You can chop the cucumbers with skin on if it’s very fresh or peel the skin using a vegetable peeler before chopping. Chop green chilies and coriander too. If making it for kids, you can skip adding the chili. Take out the kernels of pomegranate. Now add all the ingredients to a medium-size mixing bowl.
Mix everything properly using a spoon or with your clean hands and serve immediately.
Variations
Mixed Vegetable – While tomato, onion, and cucumber are the main ingredients of Kachumber, you can also add grated or cubed beet, chopped bell peppers, boiled corn, grated radish, and grated carrots to this salad.
Broccoli, baby spinach, avocado, lettuce, peas, bean sprouts, alfa can also be added to it. Thinly sliced cabbage also works great in this recipe. You can also add other herbs like mint, basil, or parsley to kachumber.
Mango – When mangoes are in season, add some chopped ripe or raw mangoes to this.
Potato – Boiled, peeled and cubed potatoes also taste good in this kachumber.
Peanut – Add in some roasted crushed peanuts in this salad. This is my favorite version of Kachumber. You can even add other nuts like cashew nuts, almonds, or walnuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make Kachumber raita or Kachumber with yogurt, just add finely chopped onions, tomatoes, and cucumber in the whisked yogurt/dahi and flavor it up with some cumin powder and salt.
Yes, that’s it! For extra flavor, you can also give a tadka of oil, asafoetida, and red chili powder to your Kachumber raita. This kachumber raita pairs very well with biryani.
It’s a personal choice. If the cucumbers are very fresh, then you can leave the skin on. It not only adds a nice crunch but it’s healthier too.
Yes, if you do not eat onion, you can simply skip adding it. Kachumber tastes great without onion too. You can add in finely chopped carrot in this no-onion version for some extra crunch.
Pro Tips By Neha
Cut tomatoes, cucumber and onions evenly, to make the perfect Kachumber salad.
To make it more tangy and spicy, you can also add in some chaat masala powder and red chili powder.
If you are making it for your kids, then avoid adding green chillies.
Peel and take out the pomegranate kernels and store in the fridge, so that it comes in handy whenever you want to make the kachumber.
Serving Suggestions
Kachumber salad is freshly served on the side with your everyday Indian meals. You can also serve it along with biryani and pulavs on the side.
Use it to add in wrap, burrito, taco, burger or to a buddha bowl.
You can mix it with yogurt and serve it as a dip with chips, nachos, spicy crackers etc.
You can also make it for your mid-day snack. If serving for snacks, add in some roasted peanuts too.
Storing Suggestions
I suggest you make kachumber fresh, as if you store it in the fridge, it might leave its freshness and crunchiness.
But if you still have leftovers, store them in a sealed container for about 2 days in the fridge. Just take a few minutes before serving, so that it comes to room temperature.
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Recipe Card
Kachumber Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 cup chopped tomato
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1 teaspoon chopped green chili
- 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- salt & pepper
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
Instructions
- Start by preparing the vegetables. Peel the onions and chop them. Chop the tomatoes and cucumber. You can chop the cucumbers with skin on if it’s very fresh or peel the skin using a vegetable peeler before chopping. Chop green chilies and coriander too. If making it for kids, you can skip adding the chili. Take out the kernels of pomegranate. Now add all the ingredients to a medium-size mixing bowl.
- Mix everything properly using a spoon or with your clean hands and serve immediately.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!