Gajar Koshimbir is a simple Indian side dish prepared using freshly grated carrots. In classic Indian cuisine, we typically don’t use salads as main meal or course. As a matter of fact; we prefer to have salads as sides which are prepared using fresh seasonal produce or staple ingredients. Of course, these light and fresh salad recipes are simple, quick yet bursting with flavours. This carrot salad is one of such recipe; effortless and goes very well with dal-rice or sabji-roti (or chapati).
I have inherited this recipe from my mum which requires minimal ingredients. This salad is known as ‘Gajar Koshimbir’ in my regional language (Gajar = Carrots & Koshimbir = Salad 👍🏼). To make it, you can use any variety of carrots. Carrots are slightly sweet and crunchy in taste which will be complimented with an earthy and nutty tempering. Cumin, mustard seeds and asafoetida goes into this fresh and hot tempering which are bundle of flavours. While final addition of chopped coriander offers freshness to this humble side dish. So, let’s see step by step recipe below:
Ingredients:
2 cups of freshly shredded carrots
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp sugar
Salt as per taste
Fresh coriander leaves
How to make:
Take shredded carrots in a bowl. Here you can use orange or red carrots (if available) as per choice. I have used British carrots for this recipe.
Next start preparing tempering for the salad. Heat oil in a small pan over high heat.
Once oil is hot, add mustard seeds and turn heat to low.
Mustard seeds will start to crackle then add cumin seeds, followed by asafoetida. You can smell wonderful aroma of this fresh tempering.
Pour this freshly prepared tempering over shredded carrots.
Next season with salt and sugar. Mix everything together.
Finally, add finely chopped coriander into the bowl and combine well.
Test the taste and if required add sugar or salt. Gajar koshimbir or Carrot salad is ready to serve.
You can try variations by adding fresh curry leaves in the tempering. Also, drizzle of lemon and roughly chopped roasted peanuts goes well in this salad.
Enjoy this quick sides with warm dal-rice or chapati- sabji; it’s a perfect meal combo.
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You also might want to try other salad recipes:
Recipe
Gajar Koshimbir | Carrot Salad (an Indian side-dish)
Ingredients
- 2 cups grated carrots
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp sugar adjust as per taste
- salt as per taste
- fresh coriander leaves
Instructions
- Take shredded carrots in a bowl. Here you can use orange or red carrots (if available) as per choice. I have used British carrots for this recipe.
- Next start preparing tempering for the salad. Heat oil in a small pan over high heat.
- Once oil is hot, add mustard seeds and turn heat to low.
- Mustard seeds will start to crackle then add cumin seeds, followed by asafoetida. You can smell wonderful aroma of this fresh tempering.
- Pour this freshly prepared tempering over shredded carrots.
- Next season with salt and sugar. Mix everything together.
- Finally, add finely chopped coriander into the bowl and combine well.
- Test the taste and if required add sugar or salt. Gajar koshimbir or Carrot salad is ready to serve.
Notes
- You would also like to try variations as below:
- Add fresh curry leaves in tempering.
- Mix roughly chopped roasted peanuts for the extra bite.
- Drizzle lemon juice over the top.
My mum used to make this for me when I was a kid but stopped because I hated carrots and refused to eat it 😅 Yours looks really good though 😋
Thank you so much Pooja. Carrots are good for health, you should eat it 🙂
I eat like once every two months but eat lots of other orange foods throughout the month 😅
Ahh… then you are good 😉
Lovely 😍
Thanks 🙂