Mango Kachumber Salad (Raw or Ripe Mango)
A vibrant Indian chopped salad with mango, cucumber, tomato, and chaat masala. Use raw mango for a tart, crunchy result or ripe mango for a sweet-savory version. Ready in twelve minutes with no cooking required.
Ingredients
Kachumber base
- 1 medium cucumber about 5 mm; finely diced
- 1 medium tomato deseeded and finely diced
- 1/2 small red onion finely diced
- 1 green chili optional; finely chopped
- Small handful fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Mango (choose one)
- 1 cup raw mango tart; April-May peak season; peeled and finely diced
- OR 1 cup ripe mango, peeled and diced (use Alphonso or Kesar; sweet-jammy)
Dressing
- 1 tsp roasted cumin powder
- 1/2 tsp chaat masala
- 1/4 tsp black salt kala namak; optional but recommended
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder
- Juice of 1/2 lemon, or more to taste
- Salt to taste
For the kosambari variation (optional)
- 3 tbsp moong dal split yellow; soaked in cold water for 30 minutes and drained
- 2 tbsp fresh grated coconut
- 1 tsp neutral oil
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 4-5 curry leaves
- Pinch of hing (asafoetida)
Instructions
Prep the vegetables
- Dice the cucumber, deseeded tomato, red onion, and green chili finely - aim for about 5 mm pieces. Dice the onion even finer than the rest.
- Peel and dice the mango to the same size as the cucumber.
- Roughly chop the coriander leaves.
Assemble the kachumber
- Combine all vegetables and the mango in a bowl.
- Add the cumin powder, chaat masala, black salt, and red chili powder.
- Squeeze the lemon juice over the top. Start with half a lemon and adjust to taste - if using raw mango, the mango may already provide enough acidity.
- Toss well and let the salad rest for 5 minutes. The colors will deepen as the spices bloom in.
- Taste and adjust salt, lemon, and chaat masala as needed. Serve immediately.
Kosambari tadka (optional, skip if not making the variation)
- Warm the oil in a small pan over medium heat.
- Add the mustard seeds and wait for them to pop, about 30 seconds.
- Add the curry leaves and hing and let sizzle for 10-15 seconds.
- Stir the soaked moong dal and fresh grated coconut into the assembled kachumber, then pour the hot tadka over the top. Toss immediately and serve within 20 minutes.
Notes
Cut finely - about 5 mm dice is the key. Larger chunks make the salad taste underdressed because the spices don't coat everything evenly.
Soak the onion if needed: if raw onion is too sharp, soak the diced pieces in cold water for ten minutes and drain. The pungency softens without losing crunch.
Raw mango vs ripe: raw mango stays crisp for up to 2 hours in the refrigerator. The ripe mango version is best eaten within 30 minutes of dressing, as the juice releases quickly.
Kosambari variation: add the soaked moong dal and grated coconut for a more filling, protein-forward version. Skip the chaat masala and use the tadka instead - the mustard-curry leaf tempering does all the work.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 hours (raw mango version). The ripe mango version is best consumed immediately.
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