Chana Dal Kosambari

Chana dal kosambari with lots of carrot, coconut and coriander – the mix of colors and flavors in this salad is so inviting, you can’t but reach out for seconds.

Taste aside, this is a valuable recipe to have in your repertoire if you want to build divine connections or social relationships: kosambari is traditionally offered to gods on auspicious occasions and exchanged with neighbors as a token of goodwill.

You Need:

[Serves 2-3]

• Chana dal – 1/2 cup
• Carrot – 1
• Fresh coconut – enough to give 1/2 cup when grated
• Green chili – 1
• Coriander leaves – small bunch
• Juice of freshly squeezed lime – to taste
• Salt – to taste

For tempering (optional):

• Oil – 1 teaspoon
• Mustard seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida powder – a pinch
• Curry leaves – 4-5

How To Make Chana Dal Kosambari:

Wash half a cup of chana dal in several changes of water till the water runs clear.

Place chana dal in a large bowl with three cups of water.

Soak for 4-5 hours.

Drain and rinse the soaked dal.

Scrape and grate the carrot.

Grate the coconut.

Chop coriander leaves and green chili finely.

In a salad mixing bowl, add soaked chana dal, chopped coriander leaves and green chili, grated coconut, grated carrot.

Mix well. Add salt and lime juice to taste.

Chana dal kosambari is ready. You can optionally add a tadka.

For the tadka: Heat a teaspoon of oil in a tadka ladle. When the oil is hot, add to it 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds. As soon as the seeds crackle, add a pinch of asafoetida powder, 4-5 curry leaves. Mix and switch off the heat.

Pour the tadka into the kosambari. Mix.

You can serve chana dal kosambari on its own as a salad…

…or as part of a larger meal. In the picture below: lauki paratha, pumpkin mangodi curry, chana dal kosambari.

Notes:

Also try these legume-based salads: green gram sundal, adzuki bean salad with greens, rajma chaat.