Kakdi Koshimbir - Indian cucumber salad with peanuts
Kakdi Koshimbir, also known as Khamang Kakdi, is a simple, easy to make, refreshing Indian cucumber salad that is bursting with crunch and flavor.
Super easy to make, this refreshing cucumber salad has an earthy, rustic blend of cumin seeds in ghee and is perfectly spiced with green chilies. Topped with roasted peanuts and coriander, this vegetarian and gluten-free salad is on your plate in less than 10 minutes.
In West India, Kakdi Chi Koshimbir, or as my mother calls it, Khamang Kakdi, is a popular side dish. In Marathi, kakdimeans "cucumber" and koshimbir means "salad". In combination, Kakdi Koshimbir (Khamang Kakdi) literally means a cool cucumber salad.
Popular in Indian households in Maharashtra and Gujarat, this salad is often served during weddings, auspicious ceremonies and festivities. Delicious and crunchy, Kakdi Koshimbir is perfect with curries, dal, rice and roti.
In the summer months, this healthy cucumber salad makes a light lunch or even an easy vegetarian side dish for barbecues. It only needs a few basic ingredients, and you can omit the roasted peanuts completely or replace them with your favorite nuts or seeds. The green chili in this recipe doesn't make the salad overly spicy, it just adds the right amount of spice and flavor. I slit the chili vertically in this case so that it can be picked out easily when eating.
The salad can be served as a side dish with any Indian curry or roti and is a great option if you are following a low carb or keto diet. It's also a super hit for barbecues or social gatherings with friends and family.
For this simple salad, cucumbers are diced and dressed with peanuts, green chilies, coriander and lemon juice together in a sizzling, spiced and flavored ghee or oil called tadka. Tadka is lightly spiced, takes only 15 minutes to make and involves only a few pantry ingredients.
Cucumbers have a high water content and a mild, refreshing taste. In hot weather, they can help against dehydration and give the body a cooling effect. This Indian cucumber salad is light but filling and makes a great snack, salad or side dish.
Recipe for Kakdi Koshimbir
This salad is a delicious blend of a few ingredients that are readily available. However, cucumber and peanuts are the stars of this dish.
Cucumber: I recommend using small salad cucumbers as they are seedless and, in my opinion, work best for this recipe.
Roasted peanuts: This adds crunch to the salad. You can either use store-bought or roast and crush/pulse the peanuts yourself.
Green Chili: You can use any chili / pepper of your choice. I used Indian green chilies or bird's eye chilies for this recipe.
Coriander: I used finely chopped fresh coriander. This gives the salad an intense lemon flavor.
Curry leaves: They add character to this salad. If possible, use fresh leaves.
Lime juice: It gives the salad that certain X-factor and it is also an excellent source of vitamin C.
Spices: Cumin seeds and other spices add flavor to the Tadka.
Substitute
To make it vegan, just use any neutral oil instead of Ghee.
Asafoetida in powder form often contains wheat flour, but gluten-free versions are available.
Allergic to peanuts? Just use roasted favorite nuts like walnuts or pistachios for a nutritional boost.
To make it nut-free, add crunchy toppings like toasted pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds or chia seeds.
I like to use Indian green chilies in this salad, but you can use any hot chili like jalapeño, serrano or Thai chili.
Omit the green Cchili for a non-spicy cucumber salad that children as well as adults can enjoy.
Variations
Instead of adding sugar, you can add dried cranberries or pomegranates. They not only improve the taste, but also add color.
Add freshly grated coconut to take this salad to the next level.
FAQs
Can I prepare Kakdi Koshimbir in advance?
Prepare and mix all the ingredients and keep in the fridge for a few hours. Add salt, sugar and lemon juice just before serving.
How do I store this Indian cucumber salad?
This salad tastes best when prepared and eaten fresh. When stored, over time cucumber water oozes out, making the salad soggy
I don't like spicy food. Can I still enjoy this salad?
The green chili pepper can be omitted from the recipe to make it non-spicy..
Ingredients
4 small cucumbers
½ tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
4 tbsp roasted peanuts
2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
2 tsp lime juice
For the Tadka (spiced flavoured Ghee / oil)
1 tbsp Ghee or oil for vegans
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 pinch of Asafoetida (Hing), omit if gluten-free desired
4 - 6 curry leaves
1 green chilli slit lengthwise, optional
Instructions
Peel the cucumbers (you can skip this step if you like. Cut off the ends and discard. Then cut the cucumbers into small pieces and transfer to a medium bowl.
Coarsely chop the peanuts on a chopping board. You can also grind the nuts in a mortar or put them in a freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin or pulse them in a grinder. I like to leave them coarse and not fully ground. This way they add the perfect crunch to the salad. Set the crushed peanuts aside.
In a small saucepan, heat ghee over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and stir-fry for about 1 minute until they start to pop. Then add asafetida (Hing), curry leaves and green chili and fry for another 30 seconds.
Pour the mixture over the chopped cucumbers and add salt, sugar, peanuts, lime juice and coriander. Mix well and serve immediately.
I often combine Kakdi Koshimbir with our daily meals, summer barbecues as well as special festive meals!
Tips
You can omit the peeling of the cucumber, or you can only partially peel it.
Add salt and sugar just before serving to prevent the cucumbers from releasing too much water and making the dish mushy.
If you are allergic to peanuts, you can use other nuts of your choice. Or use pumpkin or sunflower seeds for crunch.
To make it vegan, just use any neutral oil instead of Ghee.
Powdered Asafoetida often contains wheat flour, but gluten-free versions are available.
Remove the chili before eating, unless you like super spicy food 😉.
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