Koshimbeer - Maharashtrian salads - for Arun

Ingredients

for Carrot (Kajar) Salad

• 4 Cup Grated Carrots
• 1 or more Handfulls Cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 t. Salt
• 4 T. Lemon or Lime juice
• 1 t. Sugar

for Cabbage ( Kobi) Salad

• 6 Cup Shredded Cabbage
• 3/4 Cup Grated Carrots, (optional)
• 1 or more handfulls Cilantro,, finely chopped
• 2 t. Salt
• 4 T. Lemon or Lime Juice

for Tomato (Tamater) Salad

• 5 Cup Chopped Tomatoes, with juices
• 1 Cup Chopped Onions
• 1 or more handfulls Cilantro, finely chopped
• 2 t. Salt
• 4 T. Lemon or Lime Juice
• 2 t. Sugar

for Beet Salad

• 2 bunches of beet, boiled, hot or warm, cut in 3/4-inch cubes
• 3 T. Lemon or Lime Juice
• 1 Handfulls cilantro, (optional)

Ingredients for Standard Phodni

• 2 T. Oil
• 1-5 Pieces Whole Chillies, green cut lenghwise, or dried red, broken in half
• 1 T. Mohri, (Black or Brown Mustard Seeds)

Steps

1. Place the vegetables in a stainless steel, ceramic, or glass container with the Cilantro on top.
2. (Use sugar for all salads except those containing cabbage or beets.)
3. If making the Cabbage salad, add the salt 15 minutes or as much as 2 hours before serving.)
4. For other salads, assemble the ingredients 1/2 hour or less before eating.
5. Mix together the Ingredients for the particular salad.
6. To make the Phodni, heat the oil in a small pan. Add the whole chillies and Mustard Seed (Mohri). Fry until half or more of the Mohri turns greyish and/or pops. Remove the pan from the flame. Add Turmeric and swirl. Add the Hing (Asafetida), swirl briefly and pour it into the salad.
7. Pour Phodni over the salad and mix again
8. Taste and adjust seasonings. If the salad is not spicy enough, add Mirchi (Caynne or ground red chillies).
9. For best results, use organic ingredients. The flavors are much better.
10. (Carrot and Cabbage can be grated in the food processor ahead of time, for several meals. Grated cabbage and carrots will keep in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week.)