Carrot Tadka Salad 

“The oil sings. The seeds dance. The roots remember.”

Carrot Tadka Salad

Inspired by South Indian kosambari and North Indian tadkas, this salad is carrot, lime, chili, and tempered oil magic. It’s raw but not cold. Fresh but not meek. A salad that crackles like memory in a hot pan.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups carrots, grated or julienned
  • 2 tbsp fresh coconut, shredded (optional but heavenly)
  • 2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
  • Juice of ½–1 lime
  • Salt, to taste
  • Tadka (Tempered Oil)
  • 1 tbsp oil (coconut or neutral)
  • ½ tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 dried red chili
  • ½ tsp urad dal (optional, for crunch)
  • A pinch of hing (asafoetida)
  • Optional: 4–5 curry leaves (if you have them, use them—they elevate it)

How The Alchemy Happens

  1. Combine carrots, coconut, cilantro, lime juice, and salt in a bowl. Mix gently.
  2. Heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds—when they start popping, toss in chili, urad dal, hing, and curry leaves. Fry for 30 seconds until aromatic and golden.
  3. Pour the sizzling tadka directly over the salad. Watch it hiss. That’s the sound of flavor unlocking.
  4. Mix just before serving. Serve at room temp.

🔙 Back to the Kitchen

“We don’t toss our salads. We temper them.”