Dish of Cabbage Kachumber
(click to enlarge)

Kachumber - Cabbage


India   -   Kachumber / Kuchumber
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 4 side
**
20 min
Yes		 This Kachumber is an interesting departure from the usual tomato and cucumber formulas. It is best served quite warm, but is also fine served at room temperature. See also Comments.

1-1/2
2
1/2
1
1/2
1/8
15
2/3
1/2
1-1/2
#

T
T
T
t

t
t
T
Cabbage
Chili, green (1)
Coriander seed
Oil
Mustard Seeds (2)  
Asafoetida (3)
Curry Leaves (4)
Salt
Sugar
Lemon Juice
Prep   -   (12 min)
  1. Shred CABBAGE fine.
  2. Seed CHILI and slice thin.
  3. Grind Coriander Seed to powder.
  4. Squeeze Lemon Juice.
Run   -   (8 min)
  1. In a spacious sauté pan heat Oil and Mustard Seeds until the seeds are popping.
  2. Stir in Asafoetida, Curry Leaves and Chili. Fry over moderate heat for about 30 seconds.
  3. Stir in Cabbage and Salt until well mixed. Fry over moderate heat for 2 minutes, stirring once.
  4. Stir in Coriander Seed, Sugar and Lemon Juice. until well mixed. Fry over moderate heat for 1 minute, stirring once.
NOTES:

  1. Chilis:

      Two well seeded Serranos give this salad very little bite - use your own best judgement if you want it hotter. For details see our Indian Chilis page.

  2. Mustard Seed:

      In India, black mustard seed is always used, but yellow will work.

  3. Asafoetida - Hing:

      This is the resin of a giant fennel plant, used in India by sects forbidden to eat onions or garlic.   Caution: there are two forms: Pure Hing (asafoetida beads or ground) and the more common "Hing Powder". The "powder" is heavily cut with rice flour. The amount given here is for pure asafoetida. Use about 3 times as much if what you have is the "powder" form, and stir into temperings at the last moment. For details see our Asafoetida page.
  4. Curry Leaves   These fresh leaves are necessary for the true flavor of southern India, and are now reasonably available in Indian markets, at least here in California. Dried ones aren't of much use. If you don't have them you will have to leave them out - there is no acceptable substitute. Use caution with how many you use, because some people don't like the resinous taste. For details see our Curry Leaves page.

  5. Comments

      Kachumbers, which look like salads to us, are actually vegetable side dishes chopped fairly small so they can be scooped up with a piece of roti (flat bread). That's the way they are generally eaten in India.
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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