Mango Chickpea Zucchini Koshimbir Salad with Curry Leaves

Fresh, flavorful Indian koshimbir inspired salad with crunchy zucchini, sweet mango, crisp peanuts and hearty chickpeas is flavored with curry leaf scented oil. It works as a side dish or as a meal on its own with pita or chips for dipping. It’s a satisfying vegan summer salad that’s naturally gluten-free and soy-free!

Koshimbir salad is an Indian salad that combines seasonal veggies with salt, pepper, coconut, peanuts and lime juice. The salad also is flavored with a tempering or tadka, which is spice-scented oil that is added on top, similar to chili oil, but with Indian spices. Some versions have non dairy yogurt added in as well based on the veggie used. This salad in inspired from Maharashtrian koshimbir. Maharashtra is a state in western India.

It’s served as a salad or a side. This loaded koshimbir has chickpeas in it, so you can serve it with pita bread or chips for a full meal. It has loads of flavors and textures from zucchini, mango, onion, chopped peanuts, shredded coconut and curry leaves! You guys have got to try this tadka salad! Every bit is a burst of flavors and textures.

If you like this zucchini koshimbir salad, try my beet and carrot koshimbir salad, too!

Why You’ll Love Zucchini Koshimbir Salad

• fresh salad full of crunchy veggies
• flavorful dressing and tempering
• easy to make in under 30 minutes
• gluten-free and soy-free

More Indian-Inspired Salads

• Kachumber Salad
• Sweet Potato Bhel
• Tikka Masala Pasta Salad
• Mustard Seed Chili Oil Tadka noodle salad

Ingredients and Substitutions

• veggies – Onion, tomato, and zucchini bring so much flavor and crunch to this salad!
• fruits – Sweet, succulent mango and rich, shredded coconut balance out all of the savory flavors.
• cilantro – Boosts the flavor even more.
• chickpeas – For protein and to make this a more filling, dinner salad.
• peanuts – Add some crunch on top.
• dressing – Lime juice, black pepper, salt, and cayenne are simple flavors that work so well in koshimbir salad!
• tempering tarka – mustard seeds and curry leaves cooked quickly in hot oil top this salad to round out the flavor beautifully.

Tips

• Chopping the veggies and mango to similar sizes will give you the best results in this salad. You want 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces.
• Definitely make sure that the pan is hot enough before adding the mustard seeds. You can check by putting a couple of mustard seeds in the oil. When they are sizzling rapidly, the pan is ready.

How to Make Koshimbir Salad

Chop up all of the veggies and add to a large bowl. You want to chop them to similar sizes. So the onion, tomatoes, zucchini or cucumber, and mangoes should be about similar size pieces, about 1/4- to 1/2-inch. Then add to the bowl along with the drained chickpeas.

Crush the peanuts in a mortar and pestle or use a knife to chop them into smaller pieces, and then add to the bowl.

Add the coconut, salt, and pepper and toss well, then added the lime juice and mix really well again.

Make the tempering by heating the oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Check whether the pan is hot enough by adding one or two mustard seeds. If the seeds aren’t sizzling rapidly, the oil is not hot yet, so let it continue to get hot. When it is hot enough, add the mustard seeds to the oil. The mustard seeds should be sizzling rapidly and starting to kind of pop.

Switch off the heat, then add the curry leaves carefully. Once the curry leaves have stopped popping, take the scented oil and pour it all over the salad.

Toss again a little bit, and serve it as-is or with some pita bread, toasted sourdough , or some tortilla chips. 

Frequently Asked Questions