Karam (also spelled kharam or karamb) is a traditional, thick-textured, chutney-based salad known for its perfect symphony of spicy, sweet, and sour flavours. A staple side dish in Goan Saraswat cuisine, it is particularly prominent during Diwali and other major feasts. Thoushyache karam also serves as a quintessential accompaniment to the festive harvest meal (novem jevon) during the Mangalorean Catholic celebration of Monthi Fest on 8th September.
The humble cucumber is transformed here into a vibrant side dish, a preparation that delightfully balances a cooling crunch with a complex, spiced coconut mixture. More than just a refreshing salad, it is a bowl of goodness, marrying the sweetness of coconut and jaggery, the bite of the fruit, the tang of tamarind, and the kick of chillies. Each element contributes to a flavourful union, pairing beautifully with hot rice, dal, or curry. Versatile and adaptable, it is prepared in two distinct ways, each offering a unique taste profile. One version features the bright, fresh heat of green chillies, while the other boasts the earthy, smoky spice of red chillies. The roasting technique of blistering the chillies with mustard seeds and hing (asafoetida) in hot oil mellows the raw green chilli sting and coaxes out the smoky oils of the red ones. This dichotomy showcases the beauty of Goan cuisine, where subtle adjustments in ingredients lead to wonderfully varied experiences, elevating a simple salad into a gourmet one.
Cucumber karam is also a highly nutritious side dish. Botanically, cucumbers are classified as fruits, packed with water and essential vitamins, while coconut provides a rich source of healthy fats. It is a light addition to any meal, providing a refreshing break from heavier dishes. Other variations of karam are made with apples, grapes, boiled raw bananas, firm raw mangoes, hog plums, or pineapples. Regardless of the fruit used, the result is a raw harmony of taste that defines Goan hospitality, a dish as nourishing as it is delicious.
While the names karam and sansav are sometimes used interchangeably, they differ in texture, the proportion of mustard seeds, and their cooking methods. Karam is a drier, salad-like preparation that is only partially cooked, often used to highlight the texture of the main components. Sansav is a fully cooked, gravy-like dish that simmers fruits such as pineapple (annas), mangoes (ghota), or hog plums (ambade) into a thick, mustard-based sauce.
The humble cucumber is transformed here into a vibrant side dish, a preparation that delightfully balances a cooling crunch with a complex, spiced coconut mixture. More than just a refreshing salad, it is a bowl of goodness, marrying the sweetness of coconut and jaggery, the bite of the fruit, the tang of tamarind, and the kick of chillies. Each element contributes to a flavourful union, pairing beautifully with hot rice, dal, or curry. Versatile and adaptable, it is prepared in two distinct ways, each offering a unique taste profile. One version features the bright, fresh heat of green chillies, while the other boasts the earthy, smoky spice of red chillies. The roasting technique of blistering the chillies with mustard seeds and hing (asafoetida) in hot oil mellows the raw green chilli sting and coaxes out the smoky oils of the red ones. This dichotomy showcases the beauty of Goan cuisine, where subtle adjustments in ingredients lead to wonderfully varied experiences, elevating a simple salad into a gourmet one.
Cucumber karam is also a highly nutritious side dish. Botanically, cucumbers are classified as fruits, packed with water and essential vitamins, while coconut provides a rich source of healthy fats. It is a light addition to any meal, providing a refreshing break from heavier dishes. Other variations of karam are made with apples, grapes, boiled raw bananas, firm raw mangoes, hog plums, or pineapples. Regardless of the fruit used, the result is a raw harmony of taste that defines Goan hospitality, a dish as nourishing as it is delicious.
While the names karam and sansav are sometimes used interchangeably, they differ in texture, the proportion of mustard seeds, and their cooking methods. Karam is a drier, salad-like preparation that is only partially cooked, often used to highlight the texture of the main components. Sansav is a fully cooked, gravy-like dish that simmers fruits such as pineapple (annas), mangoes (ghota), or hog plums (ambade) into a thick, mustard-based sauce.
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Goan Thoushyache Karam (Cucumber Chutney-Salad)
(Serves 4)
Follow the same listed ingredients and method for making either green or red chutney. Just use the appropriate chillies.
Ingredients:
250 grams cucumbers
1/2 cup grated coconut
2 green chillies or 2 dried red chillies
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/8 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
a small ball of tamarind
1 teaspoon of jaggery
1/2 teaspoon oil
salt
Method:
Peel cucumbers, wash and cut into small cubes. Place in a sieve to drain out any moisture. Preserve the drained liquid to grind the coconut base and set aside.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, hing and green or red chillies. Once fragrant and well roasted, shut off the flame.
Grind coconut, above roasted ingredients, tamarind, jaggery and salt, with few drizzle of drained cucumber water to a slightly coarse consistency.
When ready to serve, mix the ground paste with the cucumber pieces and serve. Do not mix the ground paste in advance as the cucumber will start to release moisture.
Note:
To read click here: Copyright & Privacy Policy
Goan Thoushyache Karam (Cucumber Chutney-Salad)
(Serves 4)
Follow the same listed ingredients and method for making either green or red chutney. Just use the appropriate chillies.
Ingredients:
250 grams cucumbers
1/2 cup grated coconut
2 green chillies or 2 dried red chillies
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/8 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
a small ball of tamarind
1 teaspoon of jaggery
1/2 teaspoon oil
salt
Method:
Peel cucumbers, wash and cut into small cubes. Place in a sieve to drain out any moisture. Preserve the drained liquid to grind the coconut base and set aside.
Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, hing and green or red chillies. Once fragrant and well roasted, shut off the flame.
Grind coconut, above roasted ingredients, tamarind, jaggery and salt, with few drizzle of drained cucumber water to a slightly coarse consistency.
When ready to serve, mix the ground paste with the cucumber pieces and serve. Do not mix the ground paste in advance as the cucumber will start to release moisture.
Note:
- Dried red guntur chillies were used.
