Palak Raita ~ Spinach Salad

Palak Raita is very healthy. It’s full of iron, calcium, proteins and fiber. Bowl of this salad/raita fulfills your appetite.

Ingredients:

• Fresh and tender spinach leaves, shredded or finely chopped- ½ cup
• Green chilies, chopped- 1 tsp or Red chilli powder- ½ tsp
• Dates, chopped- 3 to 4
• Roasted almonds, finely chopped- 2 tbsp
• Curd (plain yogert)- ¾ cup
• Chat masala- ½ tsp
• Salt or black salt- to taste

Method:

• Wash spinach leaves. (Don’t use big, thick, rough leaves. Don't use steams.) 
• Remove the seeds of dates and cut them into small pieces.
• Chop or crush coarsely almonds. 
• Combine curd, chili powder, chat masala and salt in a bowl. Bit well.
• Add almonds, dates and chopped spinach. Mix well. 
• Eat it as raita in a meal or in a snack.

Tips:

• If you don't like raw spinach, use blanched spinach.
• You can use green chilli instead of chili powder. (Cut chilies into enough small pieces that you can remove later. If you like to eat spicy, use chili crush.)
• You can use roasted cumin powder instead of chat masala.
• You can add tadaka in this raita
• You can add black pepper.

Green Papaya Salad

Green papaya salad is healthy and tastes hot, sweet and sour equally, includes the crunch of peanuts.




Ingredients:

• Grated raw papaya- 1 cup
• Garlic cloves- 4
• Grated ginger- ½ tbsp
• Green or red chilli – 1 to 2 as per your choice
• Chili flex- 1 tsp
• Grated jaggery or brown sugar- 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice- 1 ½ tbsp
• Soy sauce- 1 tbsp
• Sesame oil- 1 tsp (optional)
• Tomato- 1
• Cucumber- 1 small (optional)
• Peanuts, roasted, peeled & crushed- 2 tbsp
• Chopped fresh coriander, finely chopped- 2 tbsp
• Sea salt- to taste
• Microwave roasted Beaten Rice square papdam (Pohyache Mirgund)- 10 (optional:my addition)

Method:

• Peel the papaya and grate with the help of big hole grater and soak in ice cold water. 
• Remove seeds of tomato and cut julienne.
• Peel and chop the cucumber.
• In a mortar, lightly pound the garlic, add the chilies, ginger, salt and lightly pound again. 
• Add the jaggery, lemon juice, soy sauce, pound to a paste.
• Add the roasted peanuts and lightly pound while stirring once in a while with a spoon to prevent the paste from thickening. 
• Add the tomato julienne and lightly pound and mix with spoon again. 
• Add the shredded papaya and chopped cucumber, lightly pound and stir until all the ingredients have combined well. 
• Arrange on a serving dish and garnish with crushed peanuts, chilli flex, julienne of ginger and coriander. Serve chilled with microwave roasted Beaten Rice square papdam (Pohyache Mirgund).

Notes:

• Thai mortar and pestle is made from wood or clay. But we Indians mostly have metal or stone mortar and pestle. There is one trick...we can use wooden roti press or belan instead of wooden or earthen pestle. Thus we can pound softly.
• Don’t pound too much as it will become a pasty salad. The juliennes should hold shape while combining with the rest of the ingredients. 
• If you do not have a mortar, just crush garlic, chillis and add them to a bowl. Add the soya sauce, lemon juice and jaggery followed by green papaya, cucumber and tomato juliennes along with roasted peanuts and combine well with hands by crushing.

Variations:

• You can also add some raw mango juliennes, grated carrots or bean sprouts for variation.
• You can add 1 tbsp tamarind pulp, if you are not using raw mango and you like to eat sourer. But do balance with soy sauce.
• Thai people use Shrimp paste in this salad. There is one trick...we can use dried shrimp/prawns (sode). Wash sode and saute in little oil. Grind into paste with salt.
• You can add fried baby shrimp or cubed fried tofu.
• You can use fish sauce instead of soy sauce & lemon juice.
• You can use honey instead of jaggery.

Chickpeas Salad

Enjoy this really easy, Mediterranean-style salad. Just toss it all together. It can be served as a main dish or a side. I prefer with garlic bread and piping hot tomato soup....just mind-blowing.

Ingredients:

• Chickpeas, boiled- 1 ½ cup
• Lettuce (any type)- 1 cup
• Tomato, chopped- 1
• Onion, chopped- 1
• Cucumber, chopped- 1
• Olives, sliced- 6
• Coriander leaves or parsley, finely chopped- 2 tbsp

Dressing:

• Extra-virgin olive oil- 2 tbsp
• Lemon juice, freshly squeezed- 1 tbsp 
• Apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar- 2 tbsp
• Garlic cloves, finely crushed- 3
• Cumin powder- 1 tsp
• Chili flakes- 1 tsp or to taste 
• Salt and pepper- to taste

Method:

• Soak chickpeas for minimum 8 hours. Boil with salt.
• In a large bowl, toss together the salad ingredients. 
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients. 
• Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss. 
• Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with garlic bread.

Tips:

• You can use tender spinach leaves instead of lettuce.
• You can omit lettuce if not available. 
• You can use canned chickpeas for this recipe. You should drain and rinse chickpeas before using. 
• You can use some chopped colored bell pepper.
• You can use cherry/grape tomatoes, halved instead of regular tomato.
• Just crumble feta cheese on salad, this gives real Mediterranean touch to this recipe.

Sprouted Mung Chaat (Sprouted Beans Indian Style Healthy Salad)

Sprouted mung beans provide a nutritious and protein rich base for this snack. Your stomach and your mind will be satisfied to have this guilt-free snack.

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• Sprouted mung beans– 2 cups
• Onion, chopped  – 1 large
• Tomato, chopped – 2 medium
• Potato, boiled and small cubed- 1 (optional)
• Fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped- a handful
• Lime Juice – 1 tbsp or to taste
• Tamarind Chutney – 2 tbsp
• Mint chutney- 2 tbsp or some chopped mint leaves.
• Red chilli powder- 1 tsp or your personal like
• Rock salt or/and Black salt – to taste
• Chaat Masala – 2 tsp
• Fine Sev – for garnish (optional)
• Khakara- for serving (optional)

Method:

• Steam or microwave sprouted mung beans for 3 to 5 minutes or saute with little oil.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl mix all of the above except the sev and khakara.
• Mix well and garnish with sev as a right before eating. Sprinkle some chat masala on it.
• Serve with Indian nachos, oh it's khakara.

Tips:

• To make it healthier – skip sev, it tastes great even without it.
• You may use raw sprouts if you like.
• You may use 1 tbsp of finely chopped raw mango or pomegranate seeds (anardana) or both. 
• You may use cucumber. 
• You may use this salad for sandwich filling. 

Power Packed Salad

Had a hectic and tiring day? Pamper yourself with this power packed salad.

This salad is healthy salad which can fulfill your appetite. 

Ingredients:

• Button mushrooms, sliced- 5 to 6
• Baby corns, cut lengthwise- 5 to 6 or sweet con kernels- ¼ cup
• Green bell pepper (capsicum),  small cubed- ¼ cup
• Yellow  bell pepper,  small cubed - ¼ cup
• Red  bell pepper,  small cubed - ¼ cup
• Onion,  small cubed-  ¼ cup
• Green cucumber,  small cubed-  ¼ cup
• Iceberg lettuce, torned roughly - 4 to 5 leaves
• Tomato- ½ cup
• Dry fig, sliced- 3 to 5
• Roasted Almonds, sliced- 5 to 6
• Black olives- 4 (You can slice them.)
• Garlic, finely grated- 2 to 3 cloves
• Fresh basil,  finely chopped- 5 to 6 leaves

Dressing: 

• Extra virgin olive oil- 2 tsp
• Worchestire sauce- 1 tsp
• Lime or orange juice - 1 tbsp
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method:

• Wash the all vegetables. Keep lettuce in a ice water before using . Thus they become crunchy.  
• Saute baby corns and mushrooms in little olive oil or butter. Season with salt and pepper. 
• Combine all above veggies and dry fruits. Add dressing & mix well. 
• You may add some grated parmesan cheese on it.
• Serve with garlic bread or eat as it is. It can fulfill your appetite. 

Corn Chat (Tangy Corn Salad)

ही पाककृती वाचा मराठीतून सुद्धा


For this you need:

Boiled corn kernels- 1 ½ cup
Chopped boiled potato- ¼ cup
Chopped tomato- ½ cup
Chopped onion- ¼ cup (make small rings, if possible)
Finely chopped green chili- ¼ tsp
Chopped fresh coriander- ¼ cup
Finely chopped mint leaves- 1 tbsp (you can use mint chutney instead of this)
Pomegranate kernels- ¼ cup
Finely chopped raw mango- 1 tbsp (optional)
Lime juice- 1 tbsp
Tamarind chutney or sauce- 1 tbsp
Chill powder- ½  tsp
Rock salt- ½ tsp
Chat Masala- 1 tsp


Mix all ingredients in bowl.
Just remember...all ingredients should be fresh for better taste.
You can add yellow shev, masala peanuts etc. etc. :)

Warm Red Cabbage And Apple Salad

I have red cabbage. I want to do something different than regular salad.  My husband like continental food. So I always try to find out new recipes for him. This recipe is adopted from Sanjeev Kapoor’s cook book. I have done some changes in original recipe.

Ingredients:

Shredded red cabbage- 1 cup

Butter- 2 tsp

Apple,sliced- ½

Sugar- 1 tsp

Raisins- 1 tbsp

Lemon juice- 1 tbsp

Black pepper, freshly ground-1 tsp

Salt to taste

Method:

Heat butter in a pan. Add red cabbage and salt and mix. Add sliced apples and saute. Add sugar and raisins. Once the apples are soft add emon juice. Add freshly crushed black pepper and mix. Don't overcook. Serve hot and crunchy. 

It is very good going with wine.