Ripe Mango With Greens

Ripe Mango With Greens 

Lovely colourful, sweet & sour salad with Ripe mango.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups ripe mango cubes

1 small red capsicum, cubed

1/2 cup cherry tomatoes

1 cup fresh lettuce (or a combination of mixed greens like wild rocket leaves & some micro greens)

1 tsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped (optional)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/ 4 cup dry-roasted peanuts or cashews (I used caramelised almonds)

1 tsp red chilli flakes (or pepper)

pinch of salt

2 tbsp finely chopped basil 

1 tsp brown sugar (optional)

Method

Rinse fresh greens and dry. Place in a salad bowl. 

Add all the other ingredients & toss well.

Refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Serve chilled.

Tips

* If you can't find mango, try it with papaya or pineapple instead!

Couscous And Aragula Salad

Couscous And Aragula Salad

Couscous is a tiny pasta made of wheat, barley or rice; wheat couscous is the most widely available version and most of it is "instant" or quick-cooking. Although couscous was traditionally hand-rolled, these days it is made by machine: Coarsely ground wheat (semolina) is moistened and tossed with fine wheat flour until it forms little round balls.

You will be amazed at how versatile it can be. Couscous is more than just an accompaniment to stew. You can use it as a filler in patties (soak it in water for five minutes and use instead of breadcrumbs, add leftover cooked couscous to a salad; or use it in a bread, muffin, or pancake recipe (soak in an equal volume of warm water for five minutes or more before adding it—¼ cup couscous to ¾ cup wheat flour).

You'll find it especially useful if you are cooking for vegetarians or vegans (for whom you can omit the cheese and butter).

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups couscous

1 1/2 cups water (boiling)

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp mustard

1/4 cup olive oil (I used just a tbsp)

1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Freshly cracked black pepper

1 tomato, diced

1/2 cup dried currants

1 cucumber, seeded & diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded & diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1 cup arugula or wild rocket leaves

Method

Add boiling water to couscous & cover it for 5 mins. 

Couscous will puff up & will be cooked through to the center. 

If there is extra water than drain & allow to cool. 

Prepare dressing by whisking together the lemon juice & mustard while drizzling in the olive oil. 

Once slightly emulsified, stir in pepper flakes & season with salt & cracked black pepper.

Toss the tomato, currants, cucumber, red bell pepper, onion & arugula with the couscous. 

Pour the dressing over top. 

Season with salt & pepper to taste & toss to the combine.

Serve either chilled or as it is.

Tips 

* Add same or little less amount of water to couscous so you don't have to drain it laters. 

* You can add any green leaves to this salad or mix of different leaves too.

* I added dried blueberries instead of black currents. Can also add caramelised nuts.

* You can add chopped apple or pear to get a different taste.

* You can make same salad with wheat or bajra dalia (broken wheat or bajra) if u don't have couscous. Just boil it and use.

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Corriander Salad

                                    

Coriander Salad

A fresh & colourful salad to brighten up the dull weather. Takes less then 10 minutes to prepare. Very filling & healthy too, enjoy :)

Ingredients 

1 cucumber diced

1 tomato chopped

1 cup cubed cottage cheese

1/2 cup steamed sweet corn

1 cup chopped Arugula leaves

2 cups fresh coriander chopped

1 cup red/green/yellow bell pepper cubed

1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs

1/2 tsp paprika (optional)

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

 

Method

Toss all vegetables together & refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Season & serve chilled.

Tips

* Vegetables should be fresh.

* You can replace mixed herbs with just oregano.

* In place of apple cider & olive oil, you can use ready made italian salad dressing.

* Don’t season until just before serving.

Leafy Greens With Feta

With all the varieties of lettuce available, a green salad can take on a whole range of flavours, textures, & colours. To determine the amount of greens needed, figure on about a handful of salad per person; double the amount if the salad is a main course. Presenting a lovely leafy salad, ready in minutes & tastes very fresh

Ingredients
2 cups Lettuce green & purple
1 cup Arugula
1/2 cup Cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup Spring onion
2 tbsp Basil
1/2 cup Feta
1/4 cup Roasted corn
Salt to taste
1 tbsp ready made Italian Dressing (American Garden)

Method
In a large bowl combine all leaves, onion, cheese, tomatoes oil & vinegar.
Season with salt and mix the dressing.
Toss until the greens are well-coated. Use two large spoons or your hands for gentle tossing.
Serve the salad immediately.

Tips
* Leaves should be washed & dried completely before using in salad.
* Any excess water on the leaves will dilute the flavour of your dressing, which also won't cling well to wet greens.

[ A salad spinner does a good job of drying greens. Don't cram in the greens: instead, dry them in batches. Don't spin too hard or the leaves will be crushed in the spinner. If you don't have a spinner, spread out the leaves on a clean dishtowel and roll them up gently, or pat them gently with another towel].

* Leaves should be fresh, chop them or tear them with your hands if you find them little big.
* Keep salad refrigerated & always add dressing just before serving.
* Serve the salad immediately or the dressing will cause it to wilt.
* Feta cheese is little salty so adjust salt keeping that in mind.
* I used my home made version of feta cheese (find recipe in notes).
* Instead of readymade Italian Dressing, you can use homemade vinegar + olive oil + salt + chilli flakes.

Veg Som Tom Salad (Papaya Salad Thai style)

Thai papaya salad, also called "som tum" or "som tam" is a fun and spicy side dish. This is made from shredded unripe papaya. Som Tom was listed at number 46 on World's 50 most delicious foods compiled by CNN Go in 2011. Although in Thai cuisine, papaya salad is usually made with fish sauce and shrimp, this vegetarian recipe has plenty of flavour as well. If you prefer a spicier dish, you can add even more chillies.

Ingredients Serves 4
3 cups hard raw papaya shredded
1/2 cup carrot shredded
1/2 cup tender french beans finely sliced & steamed
1/4 cup peanuts (whole & roasted)
1/2 cup cherry tomato cut

For Tamarind Chilli Dressing
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp palm sugar or white sugar
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tbsp tamarind pulp
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp red chilli flakes
some few green/ red chillies (as per taste and finely chopped)
salt to taste

Method
Mix all the ingredients of the dressing together.
Put papaya and other ingredients in a bowl.
Pour the dressing and mix well.
Pound a little with potato masher.
Cover with a cling film & chill for at least an hour so that the flavours penetrate.
Serve by itself as a starter or as salad.

Tips
* You can add garlic to dressing (the garlic & chilies are mashed together first with the mortar & pestle).
* Make sure you use unripe & hard green papaya.
* If you don't have cherry tomatoes, then add normal tomato deseeded & cut into 8 pieces.
* Can replace peanuts with roasted cashew nuts.
* Can skip steaming of French Beans & add them as it is.
* Can replace French Beans with any other green bean of your choice.
* Can use little honey along with sugar or use just honey.

My Dill Salad

I am so in love with smell of Dill that's why I thought of adding this one. An easy to prepare and nutritious salad at anytime of the day.

Ingredients
8 tbsp white vinegar
1/4 tsp coarse ground pepper
8 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp chopped fresh dill
3/4 tsp grated lemon peel

2 cucumbers
2 boiled potatoes
2 tomatoes

Method
Mix the first six ingredients in a glass or stainless steel bowl.
Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Cube cucumbers, tomatoes & potatoes.
Add this to the marinade.
Toss well to combine flavours.
Refrigerate for 1/2 hour, stirring a few times to makes sure everything is equally marinated.

Tips
You can adjust sugar, salt, vinegar and pepper according to your taste.
Can use any vinegar.

Corn & Pomegranate Salad

The sweet taste of pomegranate & sweet corn blends so well to give you a yummy salad that too without much work :)

Ingredients
1 cup Pomegranate seeds
1 cup sweet corn steamed
1 green apple chopped
1 pear chopped
1/2 cup paneer cubes
1/2 cup cucumber chopped
1/2 cup tomato chopped
2 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
1/2 tsp jeera powder
1/2 tsp pudina powder
1/2 tsp chat masala powder
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

Method
Mix everything and toss well.
Refrigerate before serving.

Tips
Pear & apple may turn black so don't make this salad wait for too long.