Kosambari - Soaked Moong Daal Salad

Kosambari is a salad made from soaked pulses (split legumes) seasoned with mustered and red chilis.  Usually Moong dal (Hesaru bele in Kannada) is used along with grated carrot and coconut in preparing this.  However, I have also heard split Bengal gram (Kadale bele in Kannda) is also used for this salad.  But I am yet to try the later version.  These salads can be eaten as snacks or it could be  part of a full course meal as served in Udupi Cuisine.   This makes a refreshing salad and cools down the body when you are not able to bear the heat of summer.  This is one of my most favourite salads to relish in summer J

I remember an incident when we were invited for lunch from our next door neighbour on a special occasion.  My husband is not a person who enjoys attending these functions. I was also not in the mood to attend since we had fellowship lunch at church that day and went home after eating some good Bhiryani.   Since the neighbour uncle was insisting so much that we attend,  hubby dear was waiting for me at home to attend the function.  My…..I was totally bewildered as I had already finished lunch and again was forced to go with him. Later I didn’t regret it because being the foodie I am, tasted some amazing vegetarian food prepared by the Uduppi cooks that day, though my tummy was full!!  As I tasted everything served on my plantain leaf Hubby was nudging and teasing me on every bite I took :P  But the best was yet to come, the Pheni dipped in Badam milk and Kulfi Ice cream in the tiny and cute matkas/mud pots were the best and of course we took them home since we / I was full to the brim and couldn’t hold it anymore!  Why I am recollecting this incident is because the Kosambari was also one of the items served on the menu and I relished every bite of it J

My Mom prepared this salad on the onset of summer, on one of those days, when the heat was unbearable.  Glad that weather in Bangalore has cooled down this week after receiving the much needed showers.  I have never complained about summer season until recently. But after getting used to the ever pleasant weather in Bangalore for a decade now, Phew, I am not able to bear the slightest heat!!  Indeed the city has spoilt me for sure J

Here goes the recipe………

Things you need:

200 grams Moong Daal / about 2 cups

1 large Carrot grated

½ cup Cucumber finely chopped

½ cup grated coconut

2-3 green chilies finely chopped

½ tsp pepper powder

Coriander/Cilantro – a hand full finely chopped

2 tsp lemon juice

For Tempering:

½ tsp Mustard

10-15 curry leaves

1 tbsp oil

2 Red chilies broken into halves

How to prepare:

1.      Soak moong daal in sufficient water for 2 hours. Rinse under running water, drain and transfer it to salad bowl.

2.      Add grated carrot, coconut and chopped cucumber, cilantro, green chilies to the salad bowl.

3.      Heat a small kadai or pan and add oil. Add mustered and let it crackle. Add curry leaves and halved red chilies, once done; add it to the salad bowl.

4.      Finally add salt, pepper powder and lemon juice and give it a good mix and serve.

Get ready to beat that scorching heat with this refreshing crunchy, juicy and flavourful Kosambari !!

Just like we go through different seasons of weather, we also to go through the seasons of life as these inspiring verses describes below!

Points to Ponder:

There is a time for everything,

A season for every activity under the heavens:

A time to be born and a time to die,

A time to plant and a time to uproot,

A time to kill and a time heal,

A time to tear down and a time build,

A time to weep and a time to laugh,

A time to mourn and a time to dance,

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

A time to search and a time to give up,

A time to keep and a time to throw away,

A time to tear and a time to mend,

A time to be silent and a time to speak

A time to love and a time to hate,

A time for war and a time for peace.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8