Little Gem Salad with Buttermilk Chaas
A refreshing and vibrant salad featuring crisp Little Gem lettuce, radishes, and cucumber dressed in a spice-infused buttermilk chaas dressing. The Indian-inspired dressing combines aromatic spices like cumin, mustard seeds, and curry leaves with cool buttermilk.
Ingredients
- •1 cup buttermilk
- •2 Tbsp vegetable oil
- •5 whole dried chiles de árbol
- •4 whole curry leaves
- •1 tsp cumin seeds
- •½ tsp brown mustard seeds
- •to taste Kosher salt
- •1 bunch radishes
- •3 heads Little Gem lettuce
- •1 small cucumber
- •½ cup fresh peas or beans
- •1 sprig mint
- •2 Tbsp cilantro
- •to taste Kosher salt
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Pour buttermilk into a measuring glass or small bowl. Heat oil in a small saucepan or skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add chiles, curry leaves, cumin seeds, and brown mustard seeds one at a time, pausing for a second between each addition and swirling pan. Cook until spices are toasted and curry leaves sizzle and pop, about 10 seconds (take care as oil will splatter!). Quickly pour spice oil into buttermilk; stir to combine. Taste chaas dressing and season with salt.
5 min
- 2.
Do Ahead: Dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
- 3.
Soak radishes in a bowl of ice water until they curl, about 10 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
10 min
- 4.
Toss half of the radishes in a large bowl with lettuce, cucumber, peas, mint, and cilantro. Drizzle in dressing; toss to coat. Taste salad and season with salt if needed. Top with remaining radishes.
5 min
