During the years we lived here I ate many salads but none was better than the ones prepared at home with fresh ingredients. The homemade have crisp texture and full flavor, thanks to the no wait between kitchen and dining table.
The following is a new one I have prepared for our meal today. Roasted chestnuts, watermelon, lettuce and yogurt -pepper dressing. The taste was so special and it has made me think about a suitable title. As far as I know, Andhra meal doesn’t have a salad component. But Karnataka and Maharashtra meals have. Kosambari or Koshimbir, they call them. Usually eaten as a light snack or as a part of full course meal, Kosambari is prepared with fresh vegetables, lentils, legumes or nuts with coconut, lemon or yogurt dressing. My meal fits the profile. Why title salad for everything, when we have such beautiful sounding name “Kosambari”? My yogi diet with fresh ingredients will be Kosambari from now on.
Roasted chestnuts (Snack section, Chinese grocery)
Lettuce
Watermelon
Homemade yogurt
Black pepper and salt to taste
Roughly chop chestnuts, lettuce and watermelon to bite-sized pieces.
Take them in a bowl and combine.
Whisk yogurt with pepper and salt. Pour over the chopped ingredients.
Toss and serve immediately.
Enjoy the chestnut kosambari as a light mid-day meal.
Previously on Yogi Diet:
Yogi diet with Alasandalu
Salad Synergy for Spring with Boiled Peanuts
Indira,
Hey, Just an intro – I am aarthi living in the east coast of USA. But basically a Madrasi!
Happy Anniversary To Mahanandi. Not long ago did i discover this website – i should say it was may be a month ago i found you while searching for “oatmeal upma” in google. Ever since then i make a visit to your site every day to read your new posts and i try to catch up with your olds ones when time permits – but its your three years of hard work and am sure it would take me months to read them all.
But, i was so amazed to see your work. Am kinda, what kind of commitment you should be having to take this blog to the next level – u know what i mean ? i dont know what kind of profession u are in , if at all you happen to be a home -maker then i can hardly imagine a home maker who could do something useful like this and turn it to be a super duper hit!
you are one of my inspirations in making the best out of simple things. am just curious, did you plan it out in such a way that you want this blog to be what it is today or it just happened by your hard work and then you took extra efforts to take it to the next level?
Great work – keep going! many active bloggers take a break after sometime just because they lost their initial Josh – u know. you have been going non-stop for 3 yrs and am sure u r not that kind, anyways my wishes to you for more and more success!
Aarthi
Comment by Aarthi — March 26, 2008 @ 2:39 pm
Hi Indira, happy third anniversary with ur blog! U really require a lot of kudos for really putting andhra meals on the world map!Im proud of you.
Im an andhrite born and brought up in maharahtra. im intrigued that u do blend in the best dishes from other states. that is the greatness of andhra people. we easily accept other people and culture in a way that other states dont.
Im happy that u have kept the andhra tradition and dishes alive. Keep up the good work!
As far as koshimbir is concerned, ive eaten a couple of types of koshimbir at my friends places. i came to the conclusion that it is not very different than our perugu pachadi.different types of veggies are chopped finely and added to yogurt.
Enjoyed ur dish.In the coming year, im expecting some nice traditional andhra recipes from you(i know only u can do it)…and im not hoping, im expecting it.
Cheers!!
Comment by srividya — March 27, 2008 @ 12:52 pm
Oh wow! I cannot wait to try this. In Tamil cuisine, we call salads as Kosumalli. Generally, stuff like grated carrots with a dash of sauted mustard and urad dal and green chillies and finally the carrots are sprinkled with fresh squeezed lemon juice just before serving. yum!
Comment by desigirl — March 28, 2008 @ 6:08 am