Indian Cucumber Salad

This refreshing Indian Cucumber Salad is the easiest you can make under 15 mins. It goes beautifully in any meal and needs just pantry ingredients. It is gluten-free and can be made vegan if you use oil in place of ghee. You can also make it low-fat by leaving out the ghee/oil. This Indian Cucumber Salad goes by the name Khamang Kakdi and is a staple from the Maharashtrian Cuisine.

Indian Cucumber Salad

Chopped cucumbers are tossed with a tempering made of ghee/oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chilies, hing and curry leaves (optional). It is further mixed with crushed peanuts, salt, sugar (optional), coriander leaves and lemon juice.

If you like you can also add fresh coconut (raw coconut). This Indian Cucumber Salad is crunchy, nutty & herby with mild flavorings from the tempering. It tastes delicious with little heat from the green chilies.

Like any other cucumber salad, this tastes best immediately after being made because peanuts lose the crunch and the cucumbers let out moisture. However leftovers can be refrigerated.

A lot of people, add salt to chopped cucumbers to draw out the excess moisture before mixing the salad. I do not do that, instead mix it right before serving. If you want you may stir in salt with chopped cucumbers and rest for 15 mins. Squeeze out the juices and use the cucumbers in the salad.

Here is a little about the ingredients:

Ingredients & Substitutes

Cucumbers: If you want to keep the skin, use thin skinned varieties like English cucumbers, Persian or Japanese cucumbers. If you use thick skinned like the Indian cucumbers, simply peel them before chopping. You may deseed too if the seeds are large.

Peanuts: Traditionally roasted peanuts are used for a nutty flavor and crunch. You may replace them with your favorite nuts like pistachios, blanched/silvered almonds or walnuts. To make it nut-free, use seeds of choice like pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds or sunflower seeds.

Herbs: Coriander leaves and curry leaves impart flavor. If you don’t have fresh curry leaves, you may omit them.

Green chili: Indian/ Thai chili or serrano pepper can be used for heat. If you don’t prefer heat in your salad, simply omit or use red chili flakes.

Ghee/ oil: A small amount of fats are used to temper the spices & herbs but you may simply omit it for a low-fat option. Omit the mustard & curry leaves as well. Toast the cumin seeds in a pan, crush them slightly and add. You may add the green chili raw/uncooked in the salad.

Raw Coconut is often used in Khamang kakdi for a naturally sweet, crunchy and refreshing flavor. It is available in the Indian stores in the frozen section. You can substitute it with unsweetened shredded coconut. Mix it with the chopped cucumber and let rest for a while. It will soften on its own.

How to Make Indian Cucumber Salad (Stepwise Photos)

1. Here are the ingredients you need:

• 2 (250 grams) cucumber (Persian/ Japanese/ English or any other)
• 2 to 4 tablespoon roasted skinned peanuts (crushed/chopped/ coarsely ground or seeds)
• 2 tablespoons grated coconut (optional, or unsweetened shredded coconut, not pictured)
• ¼ teaspoon salt (more to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon fine sugar (optional or powdered)
• 2 tablespoon coriander leaves/ cilantro (fine chopped)
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
• 1 teaspoon ghee or oil
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds (slightly crushed with a rolling pin)
• 1 pinch mustard seeds (optional)
• 6 to 8 curry leaves (optional, torn if too large)
• 1 small green chili (chopped/ slit sub with red chili flakes)
• 1 pinch asafoetida / hing (optional, use gluten-free version if required, not pictured)

2. Rinse, brush, rinse and pat dry the cucumbers. Leave the skin-on if using organic else peel them. Chop finely and add to a bowl.

3. On a medium flame, heat ghee in a small/tadka pan. Add the cumin and mustard seeds if using. When they begin to sizzle and pop, add green chili and curry leaves, followed by hing. Cool down slightly. If you want you may remove the chilies & curry leaves with a spoon. We eat the curry leaves so I keep them.

4. Pour the tadka all over the chopped cucumbers & mix well.

5. When you are ready to serve, stir in salt, sugar, lemon juice and coriander leaves. Lastly sprinkle crushed peanuts.

Serve Indian Cucumber Salad alongside Roti/rice and Red Lentil Curry, Saag Paneer, Butternut Squash Curry or any dal or curry.

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