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See 5 recipes Download free cookbookWarm Indian-Spiced Carrot Salad with Mint Yogurt
Indian-Spiced Carrot Salad
Tender-crisp carrots and red onion are tossed with toasted mustard seed, cumin, chile, lemon, and a cool mint yogurt dressing.
Prep Time:20 minCook Time:15 minTotal Time:35 minServings:4Difficulty:Easy
This warm carrot salad turns an everyday root vegetable into a lively side dish. The carrots soften just enough to lose their raw edge while keeping a pleasant bite, and red onion adds sweetness and color.
Mustard seeds are bloomed in oil until they begin to pop, then cumin and chile join them briefly. Adding the ground spices after the seeds protects them from scorching and gives the dressing a round, toasted aroma.
A lemony mint yogurt cools the spices without covering them. Spoon it beneath the carrots or fold it through just before serving; keeping a few streaks visible makes every bite slightly different.
Serve the salad warm or at room temperature with flatbread, lentils, grilled vegetables, or roast chicken. It travels well when the yogurt and spiced carrots are packed separately and combined at the table.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories:168 kcal
Protein:5 g
Carbs:21 g
Fat:8 g
Directions
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1
Bring a wide saucepan of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the carrots and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until bright orange and tender at the edges but still firm in the center.
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2
Drain the carrots thoroughly and spread them on a clean kitchen towel or rimmed tray. Let the surface moisture steam away for 3 minutes so the dressing will cling.
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3
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, cover, and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, shaking the pan, until the seeds begin to pop.
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4
Uncover the skillet and add the red onion. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring often, until softened but still vivid purple at the edges.
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5
Reduce the heat to low. Stir in the cumin, turmeric, cayenne, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt for about 20 seconds, just until fragrant.
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6
Add the drained carrots and toss gently for 2 minutes, coating every slice in the spiced oil. Remove from the heat and squeeze half of the lemon over the carrots.
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7
Stir the yogurt, mint, honey, black pepper, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon juice from the remaining lemon half in a small bowl until lightly speckled and smooth.
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8
Spread most of the mint yogurt on a serving platter. Spoon the warm carrots and onion over it, drizzle with the remaining yogurt, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients
- Carrots, peeled and cut into thin diagonal slices:1 1/2 lb
- Small Red Onion, thinly sliced:1
- Neutral Oil:2 tbsp
- Brown Mustard Seeds:1 tsp
- Ground Cumin:1 tsp
- Ground Turmeric:1/4 tsp
- Cayenne Pepper:1/4 tsp
- Fine Sea Salt:3/4 tsp
- Plain Whole-Milk Yogurt:3/4 cup
- Fresh Mint Leaves, finely chopped:1/3 cup
- Lemon:1
- Honey:1 tsp
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper:1/4 tsp
Tips & Notes
- Slice the carrots to an even 1/8-inch thickness so they cook at the same rate.
- Keep a lid ready when blooming mustard seeds; they can jump from the skillet as they pop.
- For a sharper finish, add another squeeze of lemon immediately before serving.
