It is another 43C day, as I write, and the whole of Australia is in the grip of a heatwave. So we look for refreshing and cooling salads each day. Kosumalli salads from South India fit the bill perfectly. With fresh raw ingredients mixed with coconut and dressed just with lime or lemon juice, they are what we crave in the heat.

I wonder about the origin of these salads – raw ingredients are uncommon in India, so perhaps they were a consequence of the British occupation. If you know, can you enlighten us?

Similar recipes include Sprouts and Pomegranate Kosumalli, Mung Sprout and Edamame Salad, Mushroom and Mung Sprout Salad, and Bean Sprout Sundal.

Browse all of our Kosumalli dishes and Mung Sprout dishes. All of our Indian recipes are here, and our Indian Essentials are here. Or explore our Mid Summer recipes.

Carrot and Mung Bean Sprouts Kosumalli

ingredients

1 cup Mung Bean Sprouts

0.5 cup Carrots, grated

0.25 cup Pomegranate seeds

1 green chilli, chopped, or to taste

2 Tblspn grated coconut, fresh or use frozen

2 Tblspn coriander leaves, chopped

squeeze lime juice

sea salt, to taste

tadka

1 tspn ghee or Indian light sesame oil

1 tspn Mustard seeds

1 green chilli, chopped, or to taste

1 tspn chana dal

pinch asafoetida

8 – 10 curry leaves

method

Combine the mung sprouts, grated carrot, pomegranate seeds, green chillies, coconut, coriander leaves, sea salt and lime juice.

Make a tadka by heating the ghee in a tadka pan and popping the mustard seeds. As the popping dies down, add the channa dal, and when it is turning golden, add in the asafoetida and green chilli. Then add the curry leaves, avoiding the spluttering, and pour over the salad.

Delicious with Sambar, rice and Poriyal. Or eat it on its own as a refreshing snack with an afternoon cuppa tea.

recipe notes and alternatives

Mix some chana dal, soaked for 6 hours and drained well, into the salad as a variation.