This simple cucumber salad is very low in calories while being quite high in taste!
One thing I have learned through making so much Indian food is that there are so many amazingly good recipes out there with next to no calories! That’s right... you can eat healthily and still enjoy some great food. Lately I have been cooking a lot of vegetarian curries and serving them with salads like this this cucumber salad. It only takes minutes to make and works well as a side dish or on its own.
Depending on where you live, you might find it difficult to find all of the ingredients. Do try to source them as they all work so well together in this dish.
Of course, if you must, you could leave some of the ingredients out. It should still be very nice.
On the weekends when I allow myself to indulge a bit more, I like topping naans with a selection of curries and a bit of this cucumber salad and a yogurt raita. It tastes incredibly good.
Real Indian Food Recipes - How To Make A Healthy Cucumber Salad
Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber thinly sliced
- 1 red chilli pepper - deseeded and finely chopped
- 3 tablespoon fresh coriander finely chopped
- The juice of one lemon
- 4 tablespoon desiccated coconut - toasted in a dry frying pan
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds
- 10 fresh (or frozen) curry leaves. DO NOT use dried leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida
Instructions
- Place the sliced cucumber into a bowl with the red chilli, fresh coriander, desiccated coconut and lemon juice.
- Mix well to coat the cucumber pieces with the other ingredients.
- Now pour the vegetable oil into a small frying pan and place over medium high heat.
- When the oil is quite hot but not smoking, add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida.
- Allow to sizzle for about 30 seconds and then more the mixture over the cucumber salad.
- Again, stir to combine and serve.
Liz Wright says
Out of interest, why should we not use dried curry leaves (which of course are the only kind I have)?
Dan Toombs says
Hi Liz
Actually, come to think of it you could use dried but remove them before eating. The problem with dry curry leaves is that they have very little flavour and they do tend to break apart if old.
I often purchase fresh curry leaves online or at Asian markets and then freeze them. The keep quite well in the freezer.
Thanks
Dan
Liz Wright says
Thank you - rural France is not best served for Asian supermarkets. I'm kicking myself for not going shopping when I was in London in January.
Thanks for the recipes - they are wonderful.
Dan Toombs says
Hi Liz
Try https://www.thespiceshop.co.uk. Their main warehouse is in Germany so I imagine they will ship to you in France. Hope that helps.
Jayne says
This looks delicious! I've not used fresh curry leaves before, thanks for the introduction to them!
Dan Toombs says
Thank you Jayne for stopping by. I love curry leaves. Hope you like them too.
Tulip says
I only came across your website this morning after you started to follow me on Twitter, but this is the third recipe of yours I have made this evening and all three have been easy to follow and a taste sensation!!! WOW what a great find. I have now declared to my husband we have another man in our marriage... after eating his evening meal he said he didn't mind, although he was asking what was on the menu tomorrow evening???
His favourite when we go to our local Indian restaurant is Prawn Sagwalla and we had king prawn shaslik on Saturday night that was amazing and I would really like to learn how to cook that dish, do you have a recipe for it by any chance?
Thanks in advance
Tulip x
Dan Toombs says
Hi Tulip
Thank you very much for all your kind words. I'm really glad you and your husband like my recipes. I'll keep them coming.
I've just been checking out your site too. Great stuff. I just bookmarked it.
Be sure to check out my chicken saagwala recipe. Use fresh prawns instead of the chicken. This recipe can be found in my 'Restaurant style curries' section. It works really well with prawns.
Cheers, Dan
Rob L says
Dan. Looking forward to making this salad. Quick question on the Asafoetida. Got some yesterday from my local Asian supermarket. But it also contains rice flour, gum arabic, turmeric and wheat flour. Is this the right stuff, or should I be looking for a more pure Asafoetida? Thanks, Rob.
Dan Toombs says
Pure asafoetida is much better but difficult to find. If you can find it, buy it! My local Indian market sells the mix as well. the flour is added to make it less expensive to produce and of course to make a bigger profit.
It will work find though.
Dan
Rob L says
Thanks Dan. Made this and your carrot salad yesterday. Fantastic! Both superb recipes and easy to make. Will try and get some pure asafoetida. Also, if I can stop making Chicken Madras (it’s so good) next will be your Chicken Patia. Rob.
Dan Toombs says
Thank you Rob for trying all my recipes! I'm really glad you like them. I'll keep the recipes coming. 🙂