Khamang Kakdi - Cucumber and Peanut Salad (Indian)

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Khamang Kakdi - Cucumber and Peanut Salad – Maharashtrian Style

 

 

 

Serves 6

 

 

 

3 large cucumbers

 

1/3 cup roasted peanuts (salted or unsalted is fine), ground to a fine

powder

 

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

 

1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)

 

2 teaspoons sugar

 

Juice of one small lemon

 

 

 

For the spice-perfumed butter

 

 

 

2 tablespoons usli ghee or light vegetable oil

 

¾ teaspoon black mustard seeds

 

¾ teaspoon cumin seeds

 

¼ teaspoon ground asafetida

 

1/8 teaspoon turmeric

 

8 hot green chilies, shredded

 

Coarse salt to taste

 

 

 

Peel the cucumbers and cut them in half. Using a spoon, scrape out the

seeds. Grated the cucumbers, using a coarse blade of a grater of food

processor. Put the cucumber in a colander and squeeze hard to extract

any excess water, and put it into a bowl. Add the next five ingredients

(four if you don't use the mint!) and toss well.

 

 

 

Heat the usli ghee or vegetable oil in a small frying pan over high

heat. When it is very hot, add the mustard seeds. Keep a pot lid handy,

as the seeds may spatter and fly all over. As the seeds are spattering,

add the cumin and continue cooking until mixture turns several shades

darker (about 15 – 20 seconds). Add the asafetida, turmeric, and

chilies, shake the pan for a few seconds, and pour the entire contents

of the pan over the cucumber mixture. Add salt to taste, and toss well

to coat the cucumber mixture with spices.

 

 

 

Serve immediately. If you do not plan to serve immediately, do not add

the peanuts, sugar, or salt until serving time.

 

 

 

Judy's notes: I did not peel or scrape the cucumbers, as I used the long

hothouse kind. I chopped the cucumber instead of grating it, which is

simply my preference. Since I used the longer cucumber, I used one of

these instead of three standard cucumbers, and thought the balance was

really good. I also roasted my own peanuts (I keep raw in the house at

all times) and ground them in my food processor.