**A Refreshing and Crunchy Culinary Delight: Carrot Salad Indian Style**
Carrot salad is a staple dish in many Indian households, offering a delightful balance of flavors and textures. This vibrant salad showcases the versatility of carrots, transforming them into a refreshing and crunchy side dish. Its simplicity belies its complex interplay of spices and fresh ingredients. From the classic carrot salad with its tangy dressing to the more elaborate versions featuring grated coconut and roasted peanuts, each recipe offers a unique take on this culinary gem. Join us on a culinary journey as we explore the diverse world of carrot salads, each one a testament to the culinary prowess of Indian cuisine.
**Recipes Included:**
* **Classic Carrot Salad:** A timeless recipe that forms the foundation of many variations. Grated carrots are tossed in a tangy dressing made with lemon juice, cumin, and coriander, resulting in a simple yet satisfying salad.
* **Coconut Carrot Salad:** This South Indian-inspired salad introduces a delightful twist with the addition of grated coconut. The coconut adds a subtle sweetness and a delightful textural contrast to the crunchy carrots.
* **Roasted Peanut Carrot Salad:** A delightful Gujarati variation that features roasted peanuts for an extra layer of flavor and crunch. The nutty aroma and flavor of the peanuts perfectly complement the sweetness of the carrots.
* **Sweet Carrot Salad:** A unique take on carrot salad that incorporates jaggery or brown sugar for a touch of sweetness. This salad is often served as a dessert or as an accompaniment to spicy dishes.
* **Spicy Carrot Salad:** For those who enjoy a kick of heat, this fiery salad incorporates green chilies or red chili powder. The spice level can be adjusted to suit individual preferences.
* **Carrot and Bean Salad:** A medley of textures and flavors, this salad combines carrots with crunchy beans, resulting in a hearty and satisfying dish.
* **Carrot and Apple Salad:** A refreshing and light salad that pairs crisp carrots with sweet and tart apples. The addition of walnuts adds a delightful nutty touch.
**Conclusion:**
Carrot salad is a versatile and flavorful dish that holds a special place in Indian cuisine. With its myriad variations, there's a carrot salad recipe to cater to every palate. From the classic tangy dressing to the unique additions of coconut, roasted peanuts, jaggery, spices, and other vegetables, each recipe offers a distinct culinary experience. Whether served as a side dish, a light lunch, or a refreshing snack, carrot salad is a true testament to the culinary artistry of India.
GAJJARA KOSAMBARI (CARROT SALAD)
There are countless variations of this style of salad from Karnataka, but my favorite is a simple version made with crunchy raw carrots, dressed with a little tempered fat, coconut, citrus and chopped herbs. If fresh coconut isn't available, keep a bag of frozen grated coconut in the freezer. It's easy to find at most Indian grocery stores and, when you have it on hand, you can bring this salad together in less than five minutes.
Provided by Tejal Rao
Categories snack, salads and dressings, vegetables, appetizer, side dish
Time 5m
Yield 2 cups
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add the chile, cumin, sesame seeds, mustard seeds and moong dal, if using, and sauté for 1 minute.
- Scrape out into a large bowl. Add the carrots, coconut, cilantro, salt and sugar. When ready to serve, squeeze lemon on top and mix to combine.
INDIAN CARROT SALAD
Steps:
- This is a beautiful fresh Indian-style salad with a zingy crispness that goes wonderfully with spicy lamb. The dressed carrots can be served on their own with some added apple or celery for extra sweetness and crunch.
- Heat a large frying pan and fry your ground lamb until all the fat comes out of it. Add the garam masala and a good pinch of salt and give it a stir. Keep frying until the meat is lovely and crispy. Shave the carrots into long thin strips with a peeler or a mandoline slicer and set them aside.
- Heat a small frying pan over a moderate heat and toast the cumin seeds for 30 seconds - they will start to smell nutty and gorgeous. You're not trying to cook the seeds here, you're just waking their flavors up a bit. Put them into a pestle and mortar and grind them up. Put the pan back on the heat and toast the sesame seeds until golden. Transfer them to a plate.
- Slice your peeled shallots or onion wafer thin. As with all salads that contain onion, you don't want to be coming across great big chunks! If you don't feel confident about your knife skills, use the coarse side of a box grater instead. This will almost mush your onions to a puree, but at least you won't come across any big bits.
- To make your dressing, put the lemon zest and juice into a bowl and add the shallots or onion, grated ginger, ground cumin and a pinch of salt. Whisk everything together with about 5 tablespoons of extra- virgin olive oil. Pour the dressing over the carrots, add the cilantro and mint leaves, and mix it all together using your fingers. It's important that you have a little taste to check whether the dressing needs more lemon juice, oil or seasoning.
- Divide the crispy lamb between 4 plates and put the dressed salad on top. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Served with naan bread, some yogurt and lemon halves, this makes a great snack!
- "Our agreement with the producers of "Jamie at Home" only permit us to make 2 recipes per episode available online. Food Network regrets the inconvenience to our viewers and foodnetwork.com users"
INDIAN STYLE CARROT SALAD
An easy to make salad that goes well with almost everything! Recipe comes from Madhur Jaffrey's wonderful "Indian Cookery"
Provided by Mscrwth
Categories Vegetable
Time 10m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Soak the sultanas in water for 2-3 hours.
- Grate the carrots and put them in a bowl; mix in the salt.
- Heat the oil and when hot, put in the mustard seeds. (don't let the oil get too hot, or the mustard fumes will irritate your eyes and throat).
- When the mustard seeds begin to pop, pour the oil and seeds over the carrots.
- Add lemon juice and sultanas and toss.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 119.2, Fat 7.6, SaturatedFat 0.9, Sodium 204.9, Carbohydrate 12.9, Fiber 2.8, Sugar 7.3, Protein 1.4
Tips:
- For the best flavor, use fresh, tender carrots.
- If you don't have cumin seeds, you can use ground cumin instead. Just add it to the pan with the other spices.
- Be careful not to overcook the carrots. They should be tender but still have a slight crunch.
- If you want a spicier salad, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red chili powder.
- Serve the salad warm or at room temperature. It's also delicious chilled.
Conclusion:
This easy carrot salad is a delicious and healthy side dish that can be enjoyed with a variety of meals. It's also a great way to use up leftover carrots. With its vibrant colors and flavors, this salad is sure to be a hit at your next potluck or gathering. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy salad, give this Indian-style carrot salad a try.
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