It’s been tomato overload here in my garden. I’ve had more tomatoes than we can eat! I’ve given them away and tried new ways to add them to our meals. I made soup, vegetable gumbo, spaghetti, and more.
Today’s recipe was suggested by a local Tanzanian. He was a recipient of a bag of my tomatoes and said they would become kachumbari. Kachumbari is a common salad here in the Tanzania and Kenya area. It’s an east Afrikan twist on salsa. There are different variations. Some omit the cucumber. As with any recipe, I encourage you to make changes to fit your flavor desires.
You can use your kachumbari like you would a salsa or as a side salad. Put it on a cracker or piece of raw bread. Use it to fill a half of an avocado.
People here will eat it with their ugali, a stiff corn porridge that is eaten with the hands. Ugali is a staple of the local diet. It doesn’t have a lot of flavor by itself and is served with some type of sauce, or beans, or other more flavorful side. You pick up the ugali, and use it to scoop up the kacumbari or other sauce.
Enjoy! And let me know how you decide to eat your kacumbari.
- 1 small or ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 roma or plum tomatoes diced
- 1 small or ½ large cucumber cubed
- 1 hot pepper chopped fine
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro/coriander, chopped
- Place the onions in a small bowl and massage the salt into them.
- Cover the salted onions with water and let stand for 10 min. This will help lesson the strength of the onions.
- Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, hot pepper and garlic in a medium bowl.
- Drain the onions and add them to the vegetables and mix.
- Add the lemon juice and cilantro.
- Mix well and taste the salad.
- Adjust the seasoning if needed.
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