Kosambari | Moong dal salad

Kosambari is a salad and a mandatory dish in a Karnataka thali. This recipe doesn’t have any cooking process except the tempering we do at the end. This is so refreshing salad

I got introduced to Kosambari  during my stay in Bangalore. Few of my Kannadiga colleagues and friends used to bring this salad along with their lunch, Let it be be Mosaranna (Curd Rice) or a Bisi Belle bath or Veg thali, this salad is a great accompaniment.

You need,

• Moong dal (Mung bean)  – 1/4 cup
• Salad cucumber – 1 big
• Fresh grated coconut – 4 tbsp
• Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp finely chopped
• Green chili – 1 finely chopped
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice – 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste

For tempering

• Refined oil – 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds – 1/4 tsp
• Hing/asafoetida- 1 tiny pinch

You have to

• Wash and soak moong dal for an hour in 1 cup of water
• Drain off the water. 
• Wash again and leave it in a strainer/colander.
• Peel and cut the cucumber vertically (length wise) in to 6-8 piece and then chop it into tiny cubes
• In a mixing bowl add strained moong dal,grated coconut, finely chopped green chilies, chopped coriander and cubed cucumber.
• Just before serving,add salt and lemon juice and mix well.
• Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
• Once it pops up add hing and add this seasoning the salad mixture.
• Mix it to blend well

Notes: You could add 1 medium sized grated carrot along with cucumber