The Sweet Taste of Carrots are the Perfect Accompaniment to Curry
Amma loved her carrot salad with extra green chilies and no Sunday lunch was complete without carrot salad. Though carrots were often the predominant ingredient in this medley of vegetables – carrots were often complimented by other ingredients-depending on what was in the fridge. These often included a combination and /or of grated carrots, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, onions and chillies topped with a salt and vinegar dressing or lemon juice.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: n/a
Total time: 10 minutes
Yield: serves 4
Ingredients
- 2 large carrots
- 10cm long piece of cucumber
- 2 medium chillies
- 6 cherry tomatoes or 1 whole tomato
- quarter piece iceberg lettuce
- 3 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice
- 1teaspoon salt
Optional
- 1 onion
- Prepare the vegetables by rinsing then pat dry. Peel the carrots. Use a vegetable peeler –this is one of the most economical and effective ways of peeling vegetables like carrots and potatoes. Once peeled. grate the carrots. Grate along the length of the carrot to form long grated strands. I prefer using a julienne cutter this results in very fine attractive carrot strings which can also be substituted as rice with most curries…or as carrot spaghetti.
3. Amma used to scrape the cucumber with a fork to form a pattern on the cucumber when sliced into discs. I prefer cucumber to be diced instead.
4. Slice the tomatoes and chilies into thin discs or preferred shapes. Once all vegetables have been cut combine in a dish then add the vinegar dressing. To make the dressing add 3 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice to 1 teaspoon salt. Mix until the salt is dissolved then pour over the salad just before serving. Carrot salad is best enjoyed fresh-on the day of preparation.
