Kosambri Four Ways for Ganesh Chaturthi

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi! No festival plate in a Kannadiga home is complete without kosambri. These are fresh salads made with soaked dals, vegetables, coconut, green chillies, coriander and lemon.

I made four kinds this year: cucumber with Bengal gram, carrot with moong dal, corn with pomegranate, and sprouted green gram with capsicum. I served them in a kosambri battlu.

Kosambri Four Ways

Quick Details
Serves: 6 as part of a festival meal
Soaking time: 3 hours
Diet: Vegetarian

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Course Salad

Cuisine South Indian

Ingredients

  

Cucumber and Bengal gram kosambri

• 1/2 cup Bengal gram soaked in 1 cup water for 3 hours
• 2 cucumbers peeled and chopped
• 2 green chillies spicy, diced
• 1/2 cup coconut freshly grated
• 1 handful coriander chopped
• 1 lemon juiced

Carrot and moong dal kosambri

• 1/2 cup moong dal soaked in 1 cup water for 3 hours
• 2 carrots peeled and grated
• 1/2 cup coconut freshly grated
• 2 green chillies spicy, diced
• 1 handful coriander chopped
• 1 lemon juiced

Corn and pomegranate kosambri

• 1/2 cup sweet corn
• 1 pomegranate
• 1/4 cup coconut freshly grated
• 1 green chilli diced
• 1 handful coriander chopped
• 1 lemon juiced

Sprouts and capsicum kosambri

• 150 g sprouted green gram
• 1 green capsicum cubed
• 2 green chillies spicy, diced
• 1 handful coriander chopped
• 1 lemon juiced

For the tadka

• oil
• mustard seeds
• hing
• salt to taste

Instructions

 

• Soak. Soak the Bengal gram and moong dal separately in 1 cup of water each for 3 hours. Drain.
• Cucumber kosambri. Mix the cucumber, Bengal gram, green chillies, coconut, coriander and lemon juice.
• Carrot kosambri. Mix the carrot, moong dal, coconut, green chillies, coriander and lemon juice.
• Corn kosambri. Mix the sweet corn, pomegranate, coconut, green chilli, coriander and lemon juice.
• Sprouts kosambri. Mix the sprouted green gram, capsicum, green chillies, coriander and lemon juice.
• Tadka. Make a tadka of mustard seeds and hing and pour it over the cucumber and carrot kosambris. Add salt to taste to each, mix well and serve.

Video

Keyword Kosambri, Ganesh Chaturthi Recipes, Karnataka Salad

Tips for the Best Kosambri Four Ways

• Soak the dals for 3 hours and drain them well so the kosambri is not watery.
• Add the lemon juice and salt just before serving.
• A tadka of mustard seeds and hing lifts the cucumber and carrot kosambris.
• Freshly grated coconut makes a big difference here.

Storage

Kosambri is best eaten fresh, on the same day.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make the dals ahead?
Yes. Soak and drain them, then keep them in the fridge. Mix everything just before serving.

Which kosambri is the most traditional?
Cucumber with Bengal gram and carrot with moong dal are the classics.

Make these for the festival and tell me which one was your favourite. Watch the recipe video on YouTube and follow @askdeepa_ on Instagram for more.