Author Notes: A variant of this salad is served on festive occasions in certain parts of Southern India. Known simply as ‘kosmalli’, it consists of finely diced or grated carrots, cucumber & onions and split yellow mung beans that have been rehydrated by an hour long soak in warm water. Salt, a ‘tadka’ of hot oil & mustard seeds and a spritz of lime juice round up the seasoning. (oh yes, that mandatory chopped green chili pepper as well!).
—Panfusine
Makes: 2 cups
Ingredients
-
2/3
cup rehydrated whole mung beans
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1/2
cup finely diced greenhouse cucumber
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1/2
cup baby carrots, finely diced
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1/4
cup scallions thinly sliced (whites only)
-
1
tablespoon fresh grated coconut (OR)
-
2
tablespoons diced tender coconut
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1
small green chilli deseeded & minced
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1–2
tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
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Juice of 1 lime
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Salt to taste
Directions
- The easiest way to obtain diced tender coconut: strain a large can of coconut water (goya or other brands) & use the little coconut pieces. Rinse these & pat dry before adding to the salad to remove the residual sweetness.
- Rinse & soak whole mung beans in warm water till they Rehydrate (~ 2 hrs). Drain the water & transfer the plump beans onto a moist paper towel. Cover completely & leave overnight to sprout. The green skin will have split exposing the tiny white shoots. Pick out any ‘dead’ beans that are hard & discard.
- In a bowl, combine the diced greenhouse cucumber, carrots, white scallions, coconut, cilantro & green chili. toss to combine the individual ingredients.
- Add the mung beans to the salad (making sure that any excess water has been thoroughly drained out!). Add the lime juice, sampling in between to determine your personal preference.
- At this point you may chill the salad if preparing in advance. Adding salt before hand tends to leach the water out of the vegetables, making the salad soggy.
- Add the required amount of salt prior to serving, mix well & serve.
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