January 28, 2010

Green Pepper and Pomogranate Salad

This combination of hot pepper and naughty pomogranate seeds is one of my favorite salad.The grated coconut and red pomogranate seeds make the salad look attractive. You can always please your guests by having this salad in your meal.

Ingredients:

1 large green pepper finely chopped
1 tbsp grated coconut
1 cup fresh pomogranate seeds
Chopped green chilli as required
Pinch of salt
Pinch of sugar
2 tsp lemon juice

Method:

Mix well all the above ingredients in a salad bowl and keep aside for about half an hour before serving.

Totally Veggie Yam

Yam dishes are salads in Thai cooking. These salads are dressed with spicy sauce.

Ingredients:
50gm baby spinach chopped
1/2 cucumber,finely chopped
2 celery stics,fnely diced
2 carrots,finely diced1 re pepper,seeded and finely died
2 tomatoes seeded and fnely dced
small bnch fresh mint,chopped

For the yam
2 small fresh red chillies,seeded and finely hppd
4 tbsp light soy sauce
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp palm sugar
4 tbsp water
1 garlic finely chopped
1 tbsp vinegar
1/2 cup roasted peanut crush
3 1/2 oz fried tofu, finely chopped
1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Method:

1. Place the watercress or spinach leves, diced cucumber, celery, carrots, red pepper and tomatoes in a serving bowl. Add the chopped mint and toss all the ingredients together using clean hands.

2. To make the yam, put the chopped chillies in a pan and add the soy, lemon juice, sugar and water. Place over a medium heat and stir until te sugar has dissolved.

3. Add the garlic, with the pickling vinegar from the jar, ten mix in the chopped nuts, tofu and toasted sesame seeds.

4. Pour the yam over the vegetables and toss together untill well mixed.

5. Serve immediately.

January 20, 2010

Spicy Sweetcorn salad

Ingredients:

Seves 4

2 cups of sweet corn
1 reen pepper, seeded a diced
1 small red chilli, seedd and diced
4 sprng onions (scallions), sliced
3 tbsp chopped prsley
8 oz cherry tomtoes, halved
saltand round black pepper

For the dressing
1/ tsp sugar
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
1.2 tsp mustard 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1/4 tsp chilli sauce

Method:

1. Cook the drained corn, pepper, chilli and spring onion in the oil for 5 minutes, stirring until softened. Transfer to a salad bowl. Stir in the parsley and cherry tomatoes.

2. To make the dressing whisk all the ingredients together. Pour over the corn mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Serve while salad is still warm.

January 13, 2010

Pepper and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients: Serves 4

1 Yellow or red pepper seeded
1 large cucumber4-5 tomatoes
1 bunch spring onions
2 tbsp fresh coriander (cilantro) or parsley
2 tbsp fresh mint

2 garlic cloves, rushed
5 tbsp olive oil juice of 2 lemons
salt and ground black pepper

Method:

1. Cut pepper ito thin slices. Roughly chop the cucumber and tomatoes. Place in large salad bowl.

2.Trim and slice the spring onions. Add to the cucumber, tomatoes ad pepper. Finely chop the coriander and mint ad add to the bowl. If you have plenty of herbs you can dd as much as you can.

3. To ae the dresing, bend th garlic with the olve oil and lemon juice ina bowl, then seaso t tase ith sltad pepper. Pou the dressingover the salad an toss lightly to mix.

Tips:

Toast the pitta bread in a toaster or under a hot grill until crisp and serve alongside the salad

What does Coleslaw mean?

Coleslaw or just slaw is a Salad dish which mainly consists of shredded raw cabbage. It may contain other ingredients as well.

Cucumber Pomogranate Salad

Ingredients: Serves 4

1 Medium size fresh cucumber
1 onion thinly sliced
1 green pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
3 firm tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp sugar
3-4 tbsp vinegar
Water as required
Pomogranate seeds

Method:

1. Cut cucumber length wise into finger-sied pieces. Remove the seeds. Spread them on a plate with onion. Sprinkle salt and after 8-10 minuts rinse off the salt and dry. Transer this into abowl.

2. Add green pepper ad tomatoes in a bowl.

3. Heat sugar, vinegar and 1/2 cup water in a pan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and leave to cool. When cold, add a little salt to taste and pour over the fruit and vegetables. Cover and chill until required.

4.Garnish wth pomogranate seeds.

YoGrape Salad

Ingredients: Serves 4

1 1/2 cups yoghurt (plain)
3/4 cup seedless grapes
50gm walnuts
2 firm bananas
sugar as per taste
1 tsp cumin-coriander powder (dhaniyajeera powder)
salt as per taste
Garnish with 1/2 tsp cumin sed, red chilli powder and chopped fresh coriander

Method:

1. Wash and dry the grapes and keep aside. Place the yoghurt in a chilled bowl. Add grapes and walnuts to it. Slice the bananas directly into the bowl and mix gently before they turn brown.

2. Add the sugar, salt and dhaniyajeera powder and gently mix together. Chill and just before serving sprinkle cumin seeds, chilli powder and coriander.

Tips:

Instead of walnuts try using hazelnuts.
Try adding chopped apple along with the grapes.

Red Kidney Bean Salad

Ingredients: Serves 6

1 1/2 cup Red Kidney Beans
3 fresh thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
1 onion, halved
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 tsp crushed cumin seeds
3 spring onions (scallions),finely chopped
6 tbsp olive oil
1 pickled cucumber, roughly chopped
salt and ground black pepper

Method:

1.Put the beans in a bowl with plenty of cold water and leave to soak overnight. Drain, transfer to a pan and cover with fresh water. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes.

2.Reduce the heat and add the thyme,bay leaves and onion. Simmer very gently for about 1 hour,untill tender.Drain and discard the herbs and onions.

3.Place the beans in a large bowl. Mix together the garlic,cumin seeds,spring onions, parsley, lemon juice and oil in a small bowl, and add little salt and pepper. Pour over the beans and toss the ingredients lightly together.

4.Gently stir in the pickled cucumber. Serve immediately.

Tips:

Instead of red kidney beans you can use dried broad beans or black beans.

January 12, 2010

Spicy Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients: Serves 4-6

2 limes
1/2 tsp sugar
2 onions, finely chopped
4 firm tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cucumber, finely chopped
1 green chilli, finely chopped
a few fresh coriander leaves, chopped
salt and ground black pepper
a few fresh coriander and mint leaves to garnish

Method:

1. Squeeze the limes into a small bowl and add the sugar with salt and pepper to taste. Leave to rest until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Mix well.

2. Add the onion, tomatoes, cucumber, chilli and fresh coriander leaves.
Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh coriander and mint before serving.

Simple Green Pepper Salad

Ingredients: Serves 4

4 large peppers, halved and seeded
4 tbsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, thinly sliced
2 Garlic cloves crushed
4 Tomatoes , peeled and chopped
Pinch of sugar
1 tsp Lemon juice
Ground black pepper

Salt

Method:

1. Grill the peppers, skin-side up, until the skins have blistered and charred. Put in a bowl and cover with crumpled kitchen paper. Cool slightly, then remove skins and slice thinly.

2. Heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic until softened. Add the peppers and tomatoes and fry for 10 minutes more. Remove from the heat, stir in the sugar and lemon juice and season. Leave to cool and serve at room temperature.

January 9, 2010

Apple a day :)

This is a side dish or a salad of apple. We usually eat just apples but if you are bored and want to taste something unusual and yummy try this recipe.
Ingredients:

1 big fresh apple peeled and cut into tiny cubes
2 tbsp plain yoghurt
1 1/2 tsp chopped green chili
Oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds and asafoetida (hing) for seasoning.
Salt as per taste
Pinch of sugar

Method:

1.In a bowl mix chopped apple and yoghurt

2. Heat oil in a small skillet. Add mustard seeds and when they splutter add hing and cumin seeds. Immediately add green chilli and saute.

3. Add this seasoning to the bowl of apple and stir well. Add salt and sugar as needed and apple salad is ready to serve.