Crunchy Kachumber Salad with Lemon Dressing

Kachumber is one of those salads that shows up on Indian tables almost without anyone deciding it should. The name is said to come from a Persian word for a chopped salad, and in home kitchens it is the bright, cold companion to something warm and heavy: a pot of dal, a plate of rice, a stack of rotis. Every family cuts it a little differently. Some dice everything small, some leave the cucumber in thick half-moons. This version keeps things simple, with tomato and cucumber in cubes and spring onions sliced thin.

A fact worth knowing about the cucumber: it is about ninety percent water, which is why it stays so crisp when it is cut fresh and why it can go limp if it sits in dressing for an hour. That is the reason I dress this salad at the last minute. Tomatoes are similar, so try to pick ones that are ripe but still firm. Soft tomatoes release a lot of juice and the bowl turns watery. If your tomatoes are mealy, scoop out some of the seeds before cubing, which keeps the salad from turning soupy.

The dressing is just lemon, garlic, green chilli and salt, and it is easy to taste as you go. Start with the smaller amount of chilli, then add more if you like heat. Garlic can be sharp when it is raw, so if you find it too strong, use a little less. The lemon wakes up the tomato and cucumber without needing much else.

For leftovers, honestly, this salad does not keep well. Once the vegetables sit in lemon and salt they give off more liquid. If you have extra, drain it in a sieve and eat it within a few hours, or chop the vegetables ahead and keep them chilled, then toss with dressing just before serving. Leftover dressing can go into a jar in the fridge for a day or two and be shaken before use.

This salad sits nicely next to a bowl of Spiced Five Lentil and Vegetable Stew, where the cool crunch balances the warm, earthy lentils. It also works with a small plate of Spicy Coconut Chilli Garlic Chutney and dosas or idlis for a lighter breakfast or lunch.

On a hot day I like to eat it straight from the bowl with a spoon, standing at the counter, before anyone else sits down to eat.