Indian Carrot Salad

This Indian-spiced carrot salad is a cool, refreshing side that pairs warm spices with bright citrus. Cooked carrots get tossed in a dressing of lime juice, corn oil, ground cumin, cinnamon, and minced garlic. It’s simple, but those spices do serious work.

The cumin and cinnamon combination is classic in Indian cooking, and here they turn plain cooked carrots into something aromatic and layered. Serving the salad chilled lets those flavors meld and mellow. The wheat sprout garnish adds a nutty crunch that contrasts nicely with the soft carrots.

This is a great make-ahead side. Toss it together, stash it in the fridge, and the flavors only get better as it sits.

Kitchen Tips

• Cook the carrots until just tender, not mushy. They’ll absorb the dressing better with a little bite left
• Whisk the dressing first before adding the carrots so the spices distribute evenly
• Let it chill at least an hour for the flavors to come together. Overnight is even better

Variations

• Add a pinch of cayenne for gentle heat that complements the warm spices
• Swap lime for lemon juice if that’s what you have on hand
• Toss in golden raisins for sweetness that plays well against the cumin and garlic