There isn't a week that goes by when I don't make this kachumber. I just love how it balances the richness and heartiness of desi meals. It's a salad that's widely made across South Asia, especially in India and Pakistan. With regional and personal variations, of course. And here's how I make it at home.
To make this salad, I just throw in roughly equal parts tomato, onion and cucumber, then toss it all with a tiny amount of small green chillies, some cilantro, and, non-negotiably, some lemon juice.
People add all kinds of other different things too. Cumin powder, chaat masala, fresh or dried mint, lime juice, black salt, what have you.
None of these additions make the kachumber more or less authentic. Everyone has their own way of making it. I've got a few other versions of my own too, besides the main one I'm sharing today.
Pre-cooking notes and tips
- This is a customizable and forgiving salad. You don't have to be precise with the quantities of veggies or the way you cut them. Samad, my husband, isn't big on cucumbers, so he reduces the amount or leaves them out entirely.
- Taste the cucumber before you start chopping it. A couple of times, I’ve had bitter ones ruin the whole salad.
- I’ve made this salad with different kinds of cucumbers, and they all work. Any kind that’s good for salads should work. The ones I use most often are mini, English, and Persian cucumbers. I leave the skin on, but if you’re using a variety with a thick peel, remove it.
- When I’m using smaller varieties like mini or Persian cucumbers, I use one whole cucumber when making the recipe as written, unscaled. When I've got a longer one, like an English cucumber, I use about half. Essentially, you need a 5 to 6-inch piece.
- I'm partial to cilantro/coriander, but fresh mint and parsley could also be used instead. Or you could do a combo.
- Red onions are my favorite, but you can use yellow or white onions too. Green onions/scallions could be used, but they aren’t traditionally added.
- If you’re worried about the sharp taste of onion, soak the diced onion in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes, then drain and use it.
- I use Roma tomatoes, but other varieties work too. Canned diced tomatoes won’t work here.
- Chilies aren’t necessary at all. I like a little kick, so I add a very small amount. You could use jalapeños or serranos instead. If you’re sensitive to spice or want to play it safe, remove the ribs and seeds. Oh, and make sure to mince the chilli very finely. You don’t want big bits hitting your taste buds.
- I like to dice my tomatoes, onions, and cucumbers small so I can get a bit of everything in each bite. But as I mentioned earlier, there’s no hard and fast rule. I’ve also seen people slice the veggies or keep the pieces bigger.
- Feel free to add in other veggies too, like carrots, radishes, bell peppers, and cabbage. Just make sure all the veggies are chopped or diced roughly the same size, and adjust the amount of salt, lemon, and cilantro if you’re increasing the overall amount of ingredients.
- You can use lime juice instead of lemon juice. Don’t use bottled, store-bought juice, it has to be fresh.
- I wouldn’t make kachumber too far ahead of time, 30 minutes to an hour tops before serving. But that's just me. I've seen people refrigerate it for a couple of days. Thing is, it uses onion, which changes the salad’s flavor as it sits, and the salt draws out water from the veggies, so the salad tends to get watery.
Serving ideas
Kachumber pairs well with just about any desi main, whether it’s dal and beans, chicken or beef dishes, pulaos and biryani, seafood, BBQ, you name it.
I also love scooping it up with papad/papadum, like chips and salsa, when I’m in the mood for a snack.
And that's a wrap!
I was a bit hesitant about sharing this recipe. It's so simple and so commonly made in Indian and Pakistani households that I wasn’t sure there was a need for it. But this one’s for anyone new to the cuisine, or who doesn’t have the same instinct for quantities and proportions that our mums, grandmas, and aunties seem to have.
Happy cooking ~ Nelo
Kachumber Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium tomato - I use Roma tomato
- 1 medium onion - peeled, I prefer red onion
- 1 mini cucumber - (see Note A below)
- 1 small Thai green chili - optional, adjust to taste ⓘ
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice - or lime
- ¼ teaspoon regular white salt - aka table salt
Instructions
- Finely chop the tomato, onion, and cucumber. Mince the green chili really finely, and remove the seeds and ribs if you want to tone down the heat. Add everything to a bowl.
- Add in the cilantro, lemon juice, and salt. Mix everything well. Serve the kachumber alongside curries, pulaos, or any of your favorite desi meals.
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