Kachumber Salad with Tamarind & Palm Sugar Dressing 🇮🇳

A friend came over for lunch a few days ago.  I served my tomato cup of soup chicken and steamed basmati rice with this salad and it took me less than an hour to prepare.  The meal was enjoyed by all but my friend couldn't have enough of the salad which appears to be nothing special until it receives the Indian-style tamarind dressing.  Made simply from tamarind paste out of a jar, palm sugar, grated ginger and water, the dressing has a subtly sweet and tangy flavour that goes well with raw vegetables.  The green chillies are optional.   I use tamarind paste often in Asian dishes such as my Beef Madras,  Red Lentil Dahl,  Nonya Pork Curry,  Sambal Ikan Bilis and  Chicken with Tamarind and Palm Sugar.  Where there is tamarind paste, there is usually palm sugar.  They come in form of solidified cake blocks which must be shaved or grated for use.  I use granulated palm sugar for convenience.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small red onion, chopped
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 4 tomatoes (about 400g / 14oz), chopped
• 2 Lebanese cucumbers (about 300g / 10½oz), chopped
• 2 green chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 tablespoons coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
• 2 tablespoons granulated palm sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• ¼ cup water

METHOD

1. In a bowl, sprinkle chopped onions with salt and leave for 20 minutes.  Rinse under tap water.  Drain.  (This process takes away some of the onion's sharpness.)
2. Combine onions with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers, coriander leaves (and chillies if using) in a serving bowl.
3. Make the dressing by combining tamarind paste, palm sugar, ginger and water.  Stir to dissolve sugar.  Pour dressing over the salad.  Chill and serve.