Mooli Tamatar Ka Salad (Radish/Tomato relish)


In our house (as in most houses in India), it was common to serve raw 'salad type vegetables' with the meals. We called it 'salad' though we ate it more like a relish along with all other food. The choice of vegetable to serve as 'salad' depended on what was in the season. Cucumbers, tomatoes in summer and radishes, carrots in winter. I love the one mummy made with radish and tomatoes. It is visually very appealing and very falvorful and her special touch was to grate the radish instead of just cutting it. Grating the radish allows flavors to get mingled with tomato very nicely.

The recipe is so simple that one can not go wrong with it. I use daikon, the type of radish available in India in winter months. You start with peeling and grating the radish, squeezing grated radish between your hands to take out the juice and mixing it with chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro and green chillies if you can handle the heat. Then you add a litle bit of salt and lime juice per yor taste and it is ready to go. Only word of caution is to add the salt just before you are ready to serve. I was told that adding salt will release more juice from the radish.

Serve this with any Indian meal or with tahari like I did.

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