Curry Leaf Indian Carrot Salad
Sweet and crunchy, these carrots are intensely flavorful and irresistible. While not an authentic Indian carrot salad recipe, our version uses Indian flavors to make a salad that is sweet and salty, sour and spicy, and brings together curry leaves, carrots, lime, and spices in a balanced and pleasing dish. Serve alongside your favorite meal pasta, curry, or tofu dish, but prepare for them to be outshined. This carrot salad is amazing!
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All About Carrots
As a kid, I used to hate carrots. They have an earthy quality that reminds me of dirt and I just couldn’t get over it. I am much more accepting of earthy tasting vegetables as an adult; I like carrots now. But I still don’t love carrots. I enjoy adding carrots to recipes, but when there’s a veggie platter I usually reach for the cucumbers or celery rather than the carrots. All that is to say that making a carrot salad I want to eat more than anything else on the table is quite an accomplishment. And that’s what I think this recipe has done. Carrots are sweet and crunchy, but they do also have earthy notes. They are versatile and can be cooked in many ways or eaten raw. While we typically think of carrots as orange, they can also be purple, yellow, red, and white. They are great as they have a long shelf life, and are easy to keep in your fridge for quite a long time. In terms of nutrition they are low in calories and have a good amount of vitamins and minerals. Particularly they contain a lot of vitamin a as well as a good amount of calcium, fiber, vitamins k and c, iron, and potassium. They also contain antioxidants, including carotenoids and anthocyanins. And in case you’re wondering baby carrots are just large carrots that were cut smaller, and carrots might be slightly beneficial to your eyes, but if you wear glasses it’s not because you didn’t eat carrots. Another important thing to note about carrots is the leaves are edible. Most of the time when you buy carrots you will get them with just the root, but occasionally you might buy them with the leaves attached especially if you were shopping at a farmers market or farm stand. When you buy carrots that do have the leaves attached, make sure to utilize them. They should be chopped finely, and then they can be used just like parsley.
Craving Carrots? Try one of these Recipes!
- Woodsy Cinnabar Chanterelle Vegan Carrot Cake
- Curry Leaf Oven Roasted Carrot Recipe
- Vegan Korean Corn Dogs from Carrots
- Carrot Tops Tabbouleh with Kamut
- Roasted Carrot, Garlic and Rosemary Soup
How to Make Indian Carrot Salad
Before we talk about making this Indian carrot salad, I do want to point out that this is not an actual Indian recipe. It is inspired by Indian flavors (such as the curry leaves) and cooking techniques (including the use of a tarka, see below), but as far as I know this particular dish is not made in India. Making this carrot salad is a breeze, but it does taste best if you make it a couple hours before you intend on eating it. That way the flavors have a chance to meld together in the fridge. Start by grating your carrots and chopping your vegetables. A simple box grader works great here, although if you have a food processor with a grater attachment you can use that as well. Add those to a mixing bowl. Next we’re going to make a tarka, which is essentially oil infused with spices. To do so, heat a little oil on a skillet and add to it mustard seeds, curry leaves, and cumin seeds. It will not take a long time for your spices to get hot and start to pop which is your sign that it’s time to add the ginger and chili. As before, it won’t need a long time on the stove, just a few seconds for it to get nice and fragrant. Take it off the heat and immediately pour the oil and spices onto the carrots. Mix it all together. Taste and add some salt. And that’s it. Again we do recommend sticking it in the fridge for a couple hours before eating it, but that is all you need to do. Enjoy!
Curry Leaf Indian Carrot Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb. carrots
- 1/2 red onion
- 1/4 cup finely chopped carrot tops or parsley
- 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic
- 2-3 tbsp. olive oil
- 25 small curry leaves
- 1 tsp. brown mustard seeds
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp. grated ginger
- 1/4 tsp. chili flakes
- salt, to taste
Instructions
- Grate the carrots and place them in a large mixing bowl. Slice the onion into thin half-moons and add to the bowl. Add the finely chopped carrot tops or parsley. Mince the garlic, and add it as well. Finally zest and juice the lime and add both to the bowl.
- Heat the oil in a small skillet. Add the cumin seed, mustard seed, and curry leaves. Once the seeds start to pop, add the ginger and chili. Cook for around 30-60 seconds until fragrant, stirring so nothing burns. Remove from the heat and scrape the oil and spices over the carrots. Mix well, taste, and season with salt. For the best flavor, allow to sit for a few hours (or overnight) in the fridge to let the ingredients meld together.
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