Vadapappu Kosambari
This kosambari with yellow moong dal (Vadapappu) is an ideal Upavaasa food. They would take a while to eat, giving the body a chance to register its satisfaction and that in turn would prevent hunger pangs and overeating. Completely raw, this traditional kosambari makes a decent, light meal for health and weight-conscious people.
Recipe:
(for two, for one meal)
Half cup yellow moong dal – Soaked in water for about 4 hours.
1 palm-length cucumber
1 green chilli, Indian or Thai variety
2 sprigs of fresh coriander
1 tablespoon – fresh coconut gratings
Pinch of salt, or to taste
Drain and rinse moong dal. Take them in a bowl.
Finely chop cucumber, chilli and coriander leaves. Add them to moong dal.
Sprinkle salt and coconut gratings.
I also added fresh juice from a small mandarin orange for the sweet note.
Combine and serve. Enjoy with a glass of buttermilk for a light meal.
Recipe Notes:
Traditional India – Vegan, Raw and Upavaasa Food
Diet-friendly and protein rich.
Upavaasa = Fasting
If anyone decides to make this Upavaasa food, I would love to hear how you like it taste/flavorwise.
We also add a dash of lime/lemon juice, brings the flavours together. Very rightly named as Upvaasa food, no meal is complete on any of our festivals without Kosambari 🙂
Comment by Namratha — April 16, 2008 @ 5:52 pm
You have a lovely blog. I frequent it quite often. I specially loved the almond milk post.
In Bengal, there is a sweet version of the moongdal recipe you gave. For Puja(specially Saraswati Puja), we mix the soaked moong dal with mashed ripe banana, sandesh, little bit of soaked govindbhog rice, make it in a ball and eat – very delicious.
Comment by Sulata — April 16, 2008 @ 6:50 pm
oops forgot to mention, we add grated coconut to it too.
Comment by Sulata — April 16, 2008 @ 6:53 pm
Indira, Koshimbir or kosambari is a must in my house everyday.. sometimes I add a teaspoon or 2 of peanut powder and hing , curry leaves and lime juice. I like to add methi leaves to this version and it tastes yumm!!!
Comment by Dee — April 16, 2008 @ 6:53 pm
In thamizh cuisine, we call this “kosmalli”. It is commonly served in weddings and also includes grated carrot. You’ve inspired me to make this more often!
Comment by Lazy blogger — April 16, 2008 @ 6:55 pm
This si my favorite kind of kosambari. I have the recipe that I made for rama navami up on my blog – I chose to go with sprouted moong this year. But this looks delicious, and is the singularly most satisfying raw dish I know 🙂
Comment by aa — April 16, 2008 @ 8:56 pm
Oh!! this is something we make quite often and it tastes yummy…..especially the coconut gratings gives it little sweet flavour and nice crunch….the picture is lovely…
Comment by Jai — April 16, 2008 @ 9:59 pm
You can also add raw green mango to this (just chopped and uncooked) and it tastes yummy!
Comment by Renuka — April 16, 2008 @ 10:24 pm
We make it quite often,love it. Adding grated carrot enhances the flavor/taste too.
Lemon juice is good too.But it is good eat when freshly made.Lovely posts with very simple ingredients. Keep up the good work, Indira!
Comment by R — April 16, 2008 @ 11:04 pm
Lovely bowl Indira of Kosambari! I like the silver bowl in which u served the Vadapappu 🙂
Comment by Nirmala — April 16, 2008 @ 11:12 pm
wow! I made mine with moong sprouts and it turned out awesome and was over in no time 😀
Comment by Shalu — April 17, 2008 @ 3:30 am
I love Kosumbari too. For a little more color and crunch I grate a small carrot piece into mine.
Comment by Roma — April 17, 2008 @ 4:59 am
Hi Indira,
Nice recipe. I made this on Ugadi day. I added granny smith apple and methi leaves, to make a dish that was sweet, sour, hot, and bitter. Since we didn’t have raw mangoes, and neem leaves, I thought this would be a good Ugadi day dish.
Comment by Padmaja — April 17, 2008 @ 6:57 am
Hi Indira,
My family are Konkani Chitrapur Saraswats from South Kanara and we make this dish traditionally every year for Ugadi which is our New year too – we call it “pachadi” (which I thought was strange initially because I went to boarding school in Andhra all my life and their Ugadi Pachadi, which I also loved, was completely different than our pachadi). Only difference from your recipe – we don’t usually add cilantro but we tiny diced raw mango to it – oh its so good, refreshing and much loved by us all.
Comment by Priya — April 17, 2008 @ 10:47 am
Very nice recipe. I usually make vadapappu with just a little salt + chilli powder and some fresh coconut.
Great pic with the vadapappu in the background.
Comment by Madhuri.A — April 17, 2008 @ 12:02 pm
It’s so good to know that I’m not alone and you all are also fans of this upavaasa food. I like and often prepare with carrot and mango too. Simply yum! 🙂
Hi Sulata: Your version sounds very interesting and I’d love to try at home. Govindbhog rice, is it like parboiled rice or Sonamasuri type? Do we have to cook the rice alone or with moong dal before mixing it with banana and other ingredients?
Thanks in advance.
Comment by Indira — April 17, 2008 @ 12:29 pm
I have been following your blog for quiet sometime now and find your work/dedication outstanding.
This is a awesome healthy meal:D I make Sulata’s version more, very commonly made in West Bengal during festivals. Govindbhog rice is a polished short grain rice, i use sonamasuri or jasmine rice. The Banana, Vadapappu, Rice and any kind of milk sweet (like sandesh) are mixed together, offered and consumed:)
Thanks Reema for the informative comment and for your good words.
-Indira
Comment by Reema — April 17, 2008 @ 1:15 pm
Hi Indira, Govindbhog is not parboiled, it is akin to Sonamasuri. And you dont need to cook the rice. It is used in small quantity and it is mixed with the soaked moongdal, though the rice I typically soak longer than the moongdal. Th soaked rice gives a hard crunchiness to the otherwise pulpy mix. As Reema said, it is very popular in Bengal.
Comment by Sulata — April 17, 2008 @ 7:51 pm
Dar Indira, that is such a simple and healthy dish . You remind us always of simplicity of healthy foods 🙂 . Had been little busy, saw all these recent posts today only.
Glad to see that FACH together with your managed school is doing nice, slow and steady always wins the race. someday i wish that we all together can spread it wings in all diff parts of India and do something for needy people. Kudos to your family and VKN for this noble work.
(P.S- saw the post on vkn’s blog too abt the same and the pics of the home cooked food by your MIL. that made me miss India even more 🙁 )
Comment by Pooja — April 18, 2008 @ 8:07 am
lovely presentation of our own salad:) kosamalli is an important neivedyam on rama navami and my mom also adds mango and makes it for tamil new year as well. i really miss the tender cucumbers we get in India this season, Indira! your posts always make me nostalgic:)
Comment by Latha — April 18, 2008 @ 11:02 am
We call this ‘kosumalli’. I make this with grated carrot and coconut. Quite refreshing and filling summer salad.
Comment by Suganya — April 18, 2008 @ 5:26 pm
I never knew this as upvasa food since I have always had it at my best friend’s house (They are Konkani Chitrapur Saraswats like another commenter here) along with lunch. I have since made it a part of many of our meals at my home and love the delicate and light flavour it brings to the table – whether with sprouts, grated carrot or beetroot – a splash of lime just completes this salad. Thanks for posting!
Comment by Miri — April 20, 2008 @ 11:41 pm
Dear Indira,
You said it so well. Neither a social butterfly nor a sweet talker! We would make great friends if you had not moved out of Houston !! I am also a solitude seeker and happy with my own company.
But dear, whether you wanted or needed you have earned all our admiration and sisterhood by turning your solitude into such a beautiful and productive blogging. Hope we meet sometime.
Comment by usha — April 21, 2008 @ 9:31 am
I suppose it would be cheeky to ask for substitution ideas for the yellow moong dal. I was wondering if red lentils might work – or I thought I might just do the salad with raw corn, which I love.
Sadly, I live in a Spanish village where there isn’t a lot of variety in terms of non-Mediterranean foods.
Hi Sylvia,
The charm of this tradition is yellow moong dal rawness. They are first presoaked in water and added without cooking. That rawness is valued.
Red lentils or brown lentils could also work. But I think it’s good to steam or simmer them to just tender.
Please let me know how you like it when you try this recipe. Thanks.
-Indira
Comment by sylvia — June 2, 2008 @ 3:37 am