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.
Dan Toombs
Monday 30th of July 2012
Thank you Rob for trying all my recipes! I'm really glad you like them. I'll keep the recipes coming. :-)
Rob L
Monday 4th of June 2012
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.
Rob L
Friday 1st of June 2012
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
Friday 1st of June 2012
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
Tulip
Monday 16th of April 2012
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
Tuesday 17th of April 2012
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
Jayne
Saturday 18th of February 2012
This looks delicious! I've not used fresh curry leaves before, thanks for the introduction to them!
Dan Toombs
Sunday 19th of February 2012
Thank you Jayne for stopping by. I love curry leaves. Hope you like them too.