Kachumbari from Kenya
Kachumbari is a very simple but flavorful salad made with fresh tomatoes and onions. It’s the perfect side for lunch or dinner!
Servings 4
Calories 36kcal
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl(s)
Ingredients
- ½ red onion finely into semi circles
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 English cucumber cut into semi circles
- 3 Roma tomatoes sliced into semi circles with seeds removed
- 1 lemon
- 1 green chili pepper optional
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Add the ½ finely sliced red onion into a small bowl with salt. Fill the bowl with hot water.
- Microwave the red onion for 1-2 minutes in the water to make it softer. Then drain the excess water away.
- Mix the red onion with the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Serve as a side salad and enjoy!
Notes
Recipe researched using Milly Chebby, Swahili Food, and Kenyan Cooking Abroad. Recipe was approved by Sheila Mathu from Kenya.
Copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only.
- Red Onion: You could substitute the red onion with yellow onions or white onion
Cilantro - English Cucumber: You can use other cucumbers but your salad will not stay fresh as long because other cucumbers contain more liquid. Make sure you scoop out seeds to reduce the liquid in the salad.
- Roma Tomatoes: You can use any tomatoes you have on hand. Roma, beefsteak tomatoes, or heirloom all work well.
- Lemon: If you can’t find a fresh lemon you can also use white vinegar or balsamic vinegar. I would not recommend using lemon juice from a bottle.
- Green Chili Pepper: This ingredient is optional. You could add green chili pepper, jalapeno, or other peppers
- If you like your onions to have a little extra crunch, skip the microwaving but do not skip the soaking in salt water.
- This salad is best when served on the first day it is prepared but it can be saved for one to two days.
- It is important to let the salad rest for a few minutes before serving. This allows the ingredients and flavors to blend together and seep into one another.
- Fresh lemon provides the best flavor, but you can also use fresh lime. Pre-squeezed juice in a bottle is not the same and will not give the best, freshest flavor.
- To make the salad last longer, try to remove any juicy parts of the vegetables. Remove the seeds from both the cucumbers and the tomatoes before slicing.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 36kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 43mg | Potassium: 288mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 607IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg