This is of the same family as the carrot salad that wins hearts all the time !
Indira likes it better than that one, especially if I add fresh, green coriander.
Khamang Kakdi/Cucumber Salad with Peanuts and Coconut
1 large cucumber
3-4 tbsp fresh, finely grated (or dessicated) coconut
3-4 tbsp ground peanuts(koot)
2 tsp sunflower oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 curry leaves
salt, to taste
2 teaspoons each of sugar and lime juice, or to taste (you could replace the sugar and lime juice with thick jaggery paste and tamarind juice)
1-2 tbsp fresh, chopped coriander leaves
Peel, wash and finely dice the cucumber. Heat the oil in a small pan, then add the mustard seeds and wait till they pop. Move the pan off the fire (this keeps the ingredients that you will be adding next from getting burned) and quickly add the cumin seeds and curry leaves. Stir for a few seconds then pour this tempering over the cucumber. Now add the coconut and peanuts, the salt, sugar, lime juice, and coriander, and toss everything well before serving.
If you want to make this a few hours ahead, then add the tempering to the cucumber earlier but mix in the rest of the ingredients just before serving, otherwise the salad can become quite soggy.
Use freshly grated coconut whenever you can, for a much nicer taste. And IMO, this salad is so much tastier with tamarind and jaggery instead of with lime juice and sugar.
An Indian Kitchen in France 