Koshimbir The Marathi Salad

A Marathi Taat/Paan/Thali was a balanced diet once upon a time when people worked hard. With changing times we have evolved diets to suit our needs. We don't sweat with physical work, even the sweating caused by mental work is prevented by the a/cs in our offices. So some of us prefer protein rich diets and others low cal ones. Today's Marathi Thali will look like what I posted yesterday, I guess in most health conscious homes.

There was a time when Koshimbir was served at the top left side of the banana leaf, just a spoonful. If you like it and gobbled it up Mom told, "Koshimbir is to be eaten just to change taste, Bhata sarkhi khaoo naye!" Not to eat it like rice. May be that was good as a child. But now I have turned around the proportion. I eat Koshimbir like rice to fill up and rice to satisfy the cravings of the conditioning since childhood.

For those of you who have no clue of what is Koshimbir, it is a Marathi salad. It is simple yet wonderful, the key is fresh cut vegetables made into bits or grated. Then spiced with green chili and coriander. With a dash of lime or a dollop of curd. Garnished with crushed roasted peanuts. The true Indian flavors.

In Marathi the word Khamang describes best what a Koshimbir holds in its code. Khamanga has got to do something with nutty and spiced tastes.

Well if I have got your mouthwatering already I ought to share the recipe with you.

Ingredients

1 cucumber
1 tomato
1 onion
1 green chili
1 tablespoon roasted and crushed peanuts
a handful chopped cilantro
salt to taste
a squeeze of lime/ dollop of curd (for variations)

Chop all the vegetables into tiny bits. Put it in a bowl. Add the chopped chili and salt. Toss well. Just before serving mix in the chopped cilantro and roasted and crushed peanuts. You have a wonderful bowl to munch on.

This Koshimbir leaves you cooled off on a sultry day when your blood is boiling due to the scorpio's attitude. How much more is my question?

A while ago I started the Koli Proverbs & Riddles on the sidebar and I updated it with one more that enlightened me today.

*Gulan kalva nai te sakren kalva Karla kadu te kadu!
Mix it with jaggery or with sugar Bitter gourd will remain bitter!

Still I will continue to do what I have to.