Festival Salad (Kosamburi)
Festival Salad or Kosambari is a simple moong daal salad typical to Karnataka. It is usually made during festivals in temples, at home or for celebrations such as weddings. Kosambari has a crunchy, tangy, sweet taste and can be enjoyed by itself or as a side dish. At Baale Mane we often eat this salad with a spread of dishes such as palya, dal, rice, pickle, chutney and vada served on a banana leaf. It can accompany most South Indian vegetarian meals.
Serves 4 as a side dish.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups moong/mung daal ( also known as split and de-husked green gram)
- 3 small green chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 2 medium red onions, finely diced
- 2 carrots, grated
- 2 cucumbers, deseeded (if required) and cubed
- A handful of fresh/packaged coconut, scraped or grated
- A generous handful of coriander leaves, chopped
- Salt
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 5 curry leaves
- A pinch of asafoetida
- ½ a lemon
For an authentic Kannadiga flavour, use only coconut oil for tempering.
Preparation
Rinse the moong dal thoroughly, and soak in water for 45 minutes.
Drain and set to one side.
Method
In a large bowl, mix the soaked dal, chillies, onion, carrot, cucumber, coconut and coriander leaves. Add salt and combine thoroughly.
Heat the oil in a small pan and add the mustard seeds. Once they start spluttering add the curry leaves and asafoetida. Fry for a few seconds and take off the heat. Pour this seasoning over the salad and mix well.
Squeeze the lemon over the salad immediately before serving.