Mooli Ka Kass – An Easy Radish Salad

“Bhuukha Jatt mooli khaaye, mooli bhukhh vadheri laaye”. As kids, my brother and I often heard this ironic punjabi saying from my grandparents and parents every time Mooli or Daikon radish was in season. Translation – The punjabi lad or ‘Jatt’ eats radishes to sate his hunger but the radishes make him even hungrier. Why? Because radish salad or mooli ka salaad and its leaves are known to increase appetite and aid digestion. Starting September when the festive season in North India is just about to start, we would find radish in the form of Mooli ka kass or lachha on our plates.

Perfect on the side of festive and heavy meals, this shredded radish salad was always refreshing, bright and juicy, and provided balance to offset rich dishes like Punjabi chhole or creamy Dal Makhni, Kadhai Paneer and Gobhi and even Poori. I distinctly remember a meal with these dishes offered to us children during the month of Shraadh in early autumn where food would be made to commemorate family elders who had passed. That meal was the first time in the year this Mooli ka lachha would appear on our plates using seasonal radish from the hills. Since these meals were elaborate and rich, this radish salad aided digestion and also made use of the new radish of the season.

Mooli – A companion to winter meals

Mooli is common across the hills and northern plains and different varieties are available at different times from autumn to spring. Early season radish is juicy and sweet while later it becomes dry, bitter and pungent. I remember many afternoons during winter vacations were spent sitting in the sun and munching on a salad of red carrots, mooli along with santara and amrood – all of it generously sprinkled with Chaat Masala and a squeeze of lime. We would become bhuukha jatts then and get even hungrier for lunch.

Mooli, cut into coins, also found a place in our beloved Gobhi Gajar Shalgam ka Achaar, even though its mention is left out from the title. Mooli ke Parathe are also a common sight on our plates during this time but less so towards spring. In whatever form we eat radish, its pungent yet peppery bright taste is an indicator that the weather is at it’s best and our meals delicious!

In Northern India, mooli has several varieties that have different sowing seasons. The crop is ready to harvest in 25- 60 days. No wonder we get mooli from the start of autumn till the end of spring.

Eat Mooli and its leaves

Mooli can either be sweet and juicy or it can be bitter, peppery and fibrous. Whether you choose red / pink or white radishes for this radish salad, I suggest getting the freshest mooli you can find with its leaves still on. I try to buy radish with green perky leaves for any salad like preparations. If its leaves are wilting and yellow, it is probably not as fresh. Radish when eaten with its leaves has various benefits like helping with digestion thanks to the added fiber. The leaves also taste crunchy and peppery.

Sweet or meethi mooli is often desirable for eating raw but when it is paired with fresh mooli leaves, it makes a delicious salad. You can also use the leaves in this Mooli ke patton ki sabzi for a side to your rotis.

Here’s how I make Mooli ka Kass or Shredded Radish Salad

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yields: 2 cups; Serves 3-4 people

Special Equipment: Vegetable Peeler, Box Grater or Food Processor with Shredding attachment

Ingredients

• Fresh Mooli / Radish with leaves, use Pink or White variety, 2-3 or 250-300 grams approximately
• Dhaniya / Coriander leaves with stalks, 10-12, cleaned, chopped to make 2- 3 tbsp
• Pyaaz / Red Onion, 1 small, peeled, thinly sliced
• Hari Mirch / Green Chilli, 1, optional but recommended
• Adrak / Fresh Ginger Root, 1 inch piece, peeled, julienned or finely chopped
• Nimbu / Lemon or Lime, 1
• Kali Mirch / Black Pepper, freshly ground, a few twists or 1/4 tsp
• Namak / Salt, use kaala namak or normal table salt, 1/2 tsp, adjust to taste
• Lal Mirch/ Red Chilli Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Bhuna Jeera / Roasted Cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon, See notes on how to make it
• Anar / Pomegranate Arils, 1-2 tablespoons, optional

These amounts can be adjusted to your taste and what’s available in your pantry.

Method

Peel, Slice, Shred, Julienne and Chiffonade

Start by gathering all the produce – Fresh Mooli with leaves (red or white), green chilli, ginger, coriander leaves, lemon and onion. Rinse all the produce except the onions. Be careful to remove all dirt and debris from the radish leaves.

Start by peeling the Mooli by using a vegetable peeler.

Always Taste the Mooli: Before using Mooli for salads, its always a good idea to taste a small piece after peeling it. This way you will know how to treat it to make a better tasting Mooli ka Lachha or Radish Salad. If the mooli is sweet and juicy, there is no need to shred it after grating, the mooli will leave a lot of water which will act as a carrier for seasoning but it won’t taste bitter. For bitter tasting or kadwi mooli, it’s a good idea to squeeze it after shredding.

Cut off the tops to remove the leaves and keep them aside as you peel all the mooli. Next, shred the mooli using a box grater or a food processor. Collect all the mooli and transfer to a large bowl.

Gather the clean leaves of the mooli. Remove any thick stems or stalks as they can be fibrous. Stack the remainder leaves and roll them together. Now slice them thinly to chiffonade the leaves that is cut into thin noodle like strips. This way they will resemble the form of the shredded mooli.

Next, peel the onion and slice them in half moons as thin as you can. A sharp knife really helps here and making the process safe. If the ginger is not clean even after rinsing, you can peel it by scraping it with a spoon or back of a pairing knife. If its clean then you can proceed to julienne it. To julienne the adrak, cut it into thin slices, then stack them together and cut thin strips. Bunch up clean coriander stalks and leaves and do a fine chop.

After this, thinly slice the green chilli if using.

Assemble, Season and Taste

Gather all this prepared produce in a large bowl with the shredded mooli. Sprinkle salt, red chilli powder and bhuna jeera powder on the produce.

Slice the lime or lemon and start by squeezing half of it on top of the Mooli ka Kass. Toss using your hands, salad tongs or a fork. Mix well to distribute the everything evenly. Taste and adjust seasonings and lime.

If using, sprinkle pomegranate arils on top. See this reel on Kitchenpostcards Instagram on how to peel a pomegranate easily.

The resultant juices from this salad are great for pouring on dals and other curries to add tang and brightness.

Serve this Radish Salad immediately or chill in the fridge upto a day. Mooli ka Lachha or Kass is delicious with a meal of seasonal Sarson da Saag and Makke di roti or just Makki Methi ki Roti.