My North Indian family called this salaad, or salad, but similar salads with varying seasonings are known in some parts of India as cachumbar. These salads generally contain onions (our Indian red onions), cucumbers, and tomatoes but, according to the seasons, we in Delhi could find radishes or kohlrabi in them as well. In some parts of India, barely sprouted mung beans and peanuts could be added. This fresh salad was always at our table at every meal in some form, with the simplest of dressings added at the last minute. There was never any oil in this dressing. Instead, there was fresh lime juice, salt, pepper, chili powder, and ground roasted cumin seeds. We just put a generous dollop on our plates (or side plates) and ate it with everything.

Ingredients

　　1 cup (5 ounces) peeled cucumbers cut into 1/3-inch dice

　　7 large cherry tomatoes, quartered (or use 12 smaller tomatoes and just halve them)

　　1 good-sized shallot, peeled and cut into fine slivers

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　1/2 teaspoon ground roasted cumin seeds (see page 284)

　　1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

　　1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice

　　Mix the cucumbers, tomatoes, and shallots together in a bowl. Just before serving add the salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne, and lemon juice. Toss to mix.

　　Excerpted from At Home with Madhur Jaffrey: Simple, Delectable Dishes from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka by Madhur Jaffrey. Copyright © 2010 by Random House. Excerpted by permission of Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.Buy the full book from Amazon.