KACHUMBAR SALAD

Kachumber Salad - Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad Recipe

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

5 mins

Total Time

15 mins

 

Kachumber Salad - Cucumber Tomato Onion Salad Recipe. Kachumbar is a simple chopped salad with chopped onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and a salt, pepper/cayenne, lemon dressing. Serve as a side with Indian curries, or as a dip with chips, or over burgers. Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free Oil-free Recipe.

Course: Salad 

Cuisine: Gluten-free, Indian, Vegan 

Keyword: chopped salad, indian salad, kachumbar salad recipe 

Servings: 4

Calories: 35 kcal

Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 2 medium tomatoes chopped small
• 1 large cucumber chopped small
• 4-5 red radishes chopped small (optional)
• 1 green chili finely chopped (remove seeds to reduce heat if needed)
• 1/4 cup packed chopped cilantro
• 1/4 tsp or more salt
• 1/4 tsp or more freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp or more cayenne pure red chili powder
• 1 tsp or more freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

1. Chop the onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, wash and drain well. * Add to a bowl.
2. Add the veggies and the rest of the ingredients to a bowl. Taste and adjust salt and heat. Serve.

Recipe Notes

* To reduce the strong sharp onion flavor, soak the chopped onion in water for 15 minutes. Drain and then use.

Variations:
Add 2 tbsp of chopped mint.
Add a generous pinch of kala namak (Indian Sulfur black salt) or 1/4 tsp or more chaat masala to taste.
Add vinegar to taste instead of lemon juice.
Add 1/2 tsp roasted ground cumin or coriander powder.
Add 1/2 cup or more non dairy yogurt and 1/2 tsp ground cumin and mix in to make raita kind of yogurt dip.

Nutritional values based on one serving

TOMATO AND ONION CACHUMBAR

Tomato and Onion Cachumbar
(adapted from "Simple Indian Cookery", Madhur Jaffrey)
100gm (4oz) onion, cut into 1cm (1/2in) dice
350gm (12oz) tomatoes, cut into 1cm (1/2in) dice
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander (I use 1 cup, coarsely chopped)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (depending how hot you like it)

Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix.

PANEER

Paneer

paneer | homemade paneer (indian cottage cheese)

how to make paneer at home with detailed steps and pictures. homemade paneer is very easy to make and you get soft paneer cubes which can be added in any indian curry or gravy or rice or a sweet based dish. this paneer recipe post details the method of making paneer quickly with plenty of tips to get soft paneer. 

Prep Time

2 mins

Cook Time

13 mins

resting time

30 mins

Total Time

15 mins

Course: main courseCuisine: north indianServings: 200 grams paneerCalories: 530kcalAuthor: dassana

Ingredients

ingredients

• 1 litre full fat milk or full cream milk
• 3 to 4 teaspoons lemon juice or vinegar or 3 to 4 tablespoons curd or yogurt

materials required

• cheese cloth or muslin or a thin cotton napkin
• some bowls and a heavy weight

Instructions

boiling milk for making paneer

• boil milk in a heavy saucepan or pan on a medium-low flame. 
• stir occasionally so that the skin does not form on the surface and also so that the milk does not get burnt from the bottom.
• meanwhile, take a pan or a bowl. place a strainer on the pan. line the strainer with clean muslin or cheesecloth or cotton napkin. you can even line the pan directly with the muslin.

adding food acid for making paneer

• when the milk starts boiling, add the lemon juice or vinegar. begin to stir. 
• the milk has to curdle completely. stir the milk when it is curdling so that the curdled milk does not stick to the base of the pan.
• sometimes you will see the milk has curdled partly but no watery whey can be seen. in this scenario also add 1 to 2 teaspoons more of the food acid and stir again. you should see the greenish colored whey in the milk.
• after the milk has curdled completely and you see the greenish whey, switch off the flame and then immediately pour the entire mixture in the strainer lined with the muslin, cheesecloth or cotton napkin.
• carefully gather the edges of the muslin as the coagulated milk mixture will be very hot. whilst doing more of the whey will be strained.
• run some clean fresh water on the gathered muslin all over.

making paneer

• gather the muslin edges tightly and place it back on the strainer keeping it in on a plate or a tray.
• keep a heavy weight on top of the muslin or cheesecloth for 30 to 40 minutes. use a heavy object having 500 to 600 grams weight. you can even hang the muslin for an hour if not using a heavyweight object.
• some more whey will be strained when you place the heavyweight object. so remove the whey from the plate. 
• after 30 to 40 minutes the paneer will set. 
• once warm or cooled cut paneer into cubes or any shape.
• you can also refrigerate the paneer. keep it in an air tight container or immerse the paneer block in a bowl of water and keep in the fridge.
• homemade paneer stays fresh for 2 to 3 days in the fridge. you can slice the paneer later and use it any recipe.

Notes

tips on making soft paneer at home

1. first and foremost use good quality milk. again full cream milk yields excellent results just like it does for making homemade curd.
2. three ingredients that coagulate the milk. you can use any one of them: lemon juice, curd or vinegar
3. each of these will contribute their taste a little to the paneer you make. remember this. if you don't like lemony or vinegar taste than add curd instead.
4. if there is lots of cream floating over the milk, then there is no need to remove it. the natural cream present in the milk, makes the paneer soft.
5. once you add the lemon juice or vinegar than the milk will start to curdle. the milk has to completely curdle. you should be able to see the whitish or greenish whey.
6. once the milk coagulates/curdles completely than don't boil it more. remove immediately and strain the milk.
7. the overcooking  will yield a hard paneer once set.
8. a way to keep the paneer soft in the fridge is to soak the paneer block  in water in a bowl and keep in the fridge. this way the paneer does not become hard.
9. alternately you can also soak the paneer in warm water after you have removed it from the fridge.

Nutrition

Serving: 200g | Calories: 530kcal

GRAPEFRUIT CAKE

Thomas Keller's Grapefruit Cake

from Ad Hoc at Home

yields one 10 x 4-inch loaf pan or 4 small loaf pans

Cake:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cup canola oil

1 tablespoon grated ruby grapefruit zest

1 teaspoon vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract

Grapefruit Syrup:

1 cup strained fresh ruby grapefruit juice

2/3 cup granulated sugar

Grapefruit Icing:

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh ruby grapefruit juice

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F. Prep your pans by coating them with a little non-stick spray or lightly oil.

Sift together the flour and baking soda and then whisk in the kosher salt. Set the mixture aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, combine the eggs and sugar on medium speed for three minutes. The mixture should thicken, increase in volume and the whisk will leave a trail in the batter. Once everything looks right, beat in the milk, oil, then the zest and vanilla.

Reduce your mixer's speed to low and then beat in the flour, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, until incorporated.

Pour the batter into your pan(s) and place on a baking sheet. Bake a single loaf for an hour (rotating once to ensure even color). Mini loafs will take roughly 40 minutes. Or until a cake tester or wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few moist crumbs clining to it.

While waiting for the cakes to bake, you can prep the grapefruit syrup.

Combine the grapefruit juice and sugar in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Stir constantly until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer (it can boil over if left over high heat) and cook for 1 minute.

Once you pull your cakes from the oven, poke holes into the cakes with a wooden skewer. Brush your syrup over the cake, allowing it to absorb and then repeating until you've used up all the syrup. Allow the cake to cool in the pan completely before attempting to unmold.

To un-mold, lightly coat a piece of waxed or parchment paper with a little oil or nonstick spray. Cover the cake with the paper and then invert. Turn the cake right-side-up onto a serving dish.

Whisk together the powdered sugar and grapefruit juice to make a glaze. (I doubled the powdered sugar called for to make the glaze more opaque.) Drizzle the glaze diagonally across the cake, allowing it to run down the sides. Slice and serve.

Keep the cake loosely covered at room teprature for up to two days.

SPINACH AND CILANTRO SOUP

Spinach and Cilantro Soup

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE SAUCE:

• ¼ cup well-stirred tahini
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 large clove garlic, finely grated or pounded to a smooth paste
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

FOR THE SOUP:

• 7 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 12 ounces baby spinach (about 12 packed cups)
• 4 cups roughly chopped cilantro (from 2 large bunches)
• ¼ cup well-stirred tahini
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, plus more as needed.

1. First, make the sauce: Combine tahini, lemon juice, garlic, salt, cumin and red-pepper flakes with 2 tablespoons water in a medium bowl. Whisk until smooth, adding more water as needed to achieve a drizzle-able consistency, and set aside.
2. Next, make the soup: Add stock to a Dutch oven or heavy pot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in spinach, cilantro, tahini and salt, and return to a boil. Turn off heat, and stir in lemon juice.
3. Use an immersion blender to purée soup. Taste, and adjust seasoning with more salt and lemon, if desired.
4. Serve soup immediately, and drizzle with tahini sauce. Cover and refrigerate remaining soup and sauce for up to 1 week, or freeze soup for up to 1 month.

Tip

• Because this soup is so simple, the quality of the stock really makes a difference, so use homemade or purchase some from a butcher. Avoid canned and boxed stocks if possible.

BUTTER TOFU

Butter Tofu 

Indian Butter Tofu (Tofu Makhani)
4 to 6 serves

This recipe is a vegetarian riff on butter chicken, or murgh makhani, a classic Indian dish in which chicken simmers in a rich, dairy-laden tomato sauce that’s seasoned with heady spices like turmeric, cumin, garam masala and cardamom. This weeknight-friendly version has a toned-down ingredient list, and the tofu doesn’t require hours of marinating, which means you can get everything on the table in under an hour if you start the rice as the tomatoes are cooking down. Heavy cream gives this dish a rich finish, but full-fat coconut milk makes a fine substitute. Whatever you do, don’t substitute anything for the butter or ghee (sorry, vegans) — it’s the signature ingredient.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1 tablespoon ground cumin

• 1 heaping tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

• 2 (14-ounce) packages firm tofu

• 8 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter (1 stick)

• 2 yellow onions, peeled and diced

• 1 teaspoon ground chile powder, such as cayenne

• 3 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 teaspoon paprika

• 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt

• 1 ½ cups heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk

• 3 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias

• ¼ cup cilantro leaves and tender stems

• Naan, basmati rice, yogurt and quartered cucumbers, for serving

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PREPARATION

1 In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice, cumin and 1 heaping tablespoon turmeric with 1 tablespoon water to make a thin paste. Drain and pat the tofu dry then cut it into 1-inch cubes. Add it to the turmeric marinade, gently stirring to coat. Set aside at room temperature while you prepare the remaining ingredients, or cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.

2 In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and chile powder, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat, add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are starting to brown, about 5 minutes.

3 Add the tomatoes and their juices, gently crushing the tomatoes with your hands as you go. Add the cinnamon stick, paprika and sea salt along with the remaining 1 teaspoon turmeric. Cook until the tomatoes and onions break down and the sauce is the consistency of a thick ragù, about 10 minutes. Blend with an immersion blender, or transfer to a blender and purée until smooth. Return to the pot.

4 Gently stir in the cream and the tofu and its marinade. Simmer over low heat, uncovered, until the tofu has taken on the color of the sauce and is flavored all the way through, about 5 minutes. Stir occasionally but gently, so the tofu doesn’t fall apart. Transfer the tofu and sauce to a deep platter or large shallow serving bowl and sprinkle with scallions and cilantro. Serve with warm naan, rice, yogurt and cucumbers.

INDIAN BUTTER CHICKEN

Indian Butter Chicken

This fragrant, spicy Indian butter chicken recipe is from the owner of the India Cuisine restaurant in Seattle, Washington. Serve with hot Indian bread."

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1 cup yogurt
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons garlic paste
• 1/2 tablespoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ginger paste
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon chopped green chile pepper
• 2 cups tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
• 1 cup heavy cream

Directions

• To Marinate: Place chicken in a nonporous glass dish or bowl with lemon juice, 1 tablespoon chili powder and salt. Toss to coat; cover dish and refrigerate to marinate for 1 hour.
• Drain yogurt in a cloth for 15 to 20 minutes. Place in a medium bowl; mix in salt, garlic paste, garam masala, butter, chili powder, ginger paste, lemon juice and oil. Pour yogurt mixture over chicken, replace cover and refrigerate to marinate for another 3 to 4 hours.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place chicken on skewers. Place skewers in a 9x13 inch baking dish and bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until almost cooked through.
• To Make Sauce: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garam masala. When masala begins to crackle, mix in ginger paste, chopped garlic and green chile peppers. Saute until tender, then stir in tomato puree, chili powder, salt and water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring in honey and fenugreek.
• Place chicken in sauce mixture. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Stir in fresh cream.