Pomegranate sprouts salad

The simplest of meals, but probably the most flavourful, and colourful. I love sprouted moong. I love pomegranates. And when the two come together, all you need is a bit of rock salt to bind it all together.

Chickpea chaat

A light and healthy snack for all those in between times.

2 cup boiled chickpeas 

1/2 onion

1/4 capsicum

1 small tomato

Salt, red chilli powder to taste

Method:

Chop all the vegetables fine. 

Mix the chickpeas and vegetables

Add salt and red chilli powder and mix well. 

Mixed sprouts with cucumber and raw mango

I had a lot of mixed sprouts left over after making misal pav, and decided to make a simple salad with the rest. This tangy salad with alternating notes of sour and sweet, is a really good snack for a hot summer day. 

1 cup mixed sprouts

1 cucumber

1 raw mango

1 tsp jaggery grated

Salt to taste

Method: 

Bring 2 cups of water to boil. Turn off the flame and put the mixed sprouts in the water and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Drain and keep aside. 

Meanwhile, cut the cucumber and raw mango into small pieces. 

Mix sprouts, cucumber and raw mango and mix well. Sprinkle the jaggery and let it mix. 

Keep in the fridge for 30 minutes and serve chilled. Adjust for salt, if required. 

Aambatti

Another dish I first tasted in office and liked enough to ask for the recipe. Full of proteins and packed with taste, it is a winner of a dish.

1/3 cup channa dal, soaked for 3 hours

1 green mango

1 green chillie

1 tsp jeera seeds

Salt to taste 

Method:

Soak the dal overnight, or atleast for a few hours. 

Grind coarsely and keep aside

Grate the raw mango and keep aside

Mix mango, pulses, salt and jeera powder. 

Serve with roti or as a stand alone snack 

Carrot-raw mango salad

Strange things happen to me in summer- for one my appetite turns a few cart-wheels before settling at a place where I crave raw, semi-cooked and cold meals. Naturally, therefore, instead of a normal carrot curry, it was this grated carrot salad that I needed for dinner.

200 gms carrots
1 medium raw mango
3 tbsp peanuts
1 tsp oil1 tsp mustard seeds
Salt to taste

Method:
Grate the carrots and keep aside.
Grate the raw mango and keep aside.
Mix the raw mango and carrots well. Add salt to taste and mix well again. Put in the fridge and let it settle for about half an hour.
Heat the oil, add mustard seeds and wait till it stops spluttering.
Add peanuts and lightly fry.
Pour over the carrot- raw mango mixture, and mix well.
Goes well with roti and dal.

Kosimbir- with green mangoes

Kosimbir was often made at my place, and come summer and I start making it for myself. This is a slight variation on the old favourite, with green mango slices for the sour taste.

1 cup split moong dal
1 cucumber
1/2 green mango
salt to taste

For tempering (optional)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 green chilli
1 sprig curry leaves
a little cooking oil


Method
Soak the split moong dal overnight (or at least for 4 hours)
Cut the cucumber and the mango into tiny pieces and mix well with the dal
Add salt to taste, and mix well
If you like, you can make the tempering and pour it over the kosimbir, or you can avoid it with no change in taste.
Serve chilled, either as a stand alone snack, or with rotis.

Modified Kosimbir

I always loved my mother's Kosimbir, which she learnt to make from her mother. The lightest, tastiest, healthiest snack/ salad possible is how I always thought of it. Till I had cabbage kosimbir a couple of weeks back, and realised even that perfection could be made better. This started out as a carrot kosimbir, but ended up as something entirely different. Nobody's complaining!

1 cup split moong dal
1 cucumber
1 carrot
1/2 bunch dil weeds
1/2 lemon
1 tsp chilli flakes
salt to taste


Method
Soak the split moong dal overnight (or at least for 4 hours)
Cut the cucumber into tiny pieces, grate the carrot, and mix both well with the dal
Remove the leaves of the dill weeds, cut fine, and mix.
Add salt to taste, squeeze the lemon on top, and toss well.
Serve chilled, either as a stand alone snack, or with rotis.

Polemo salad

I bought a big fat polemo, and after eating half of it as a fruit, wanted to do something different with the rest. This is adapted from a Vietnemese recipe, and is absolutely lovely. While the original recipe called for shrimps, I dropped it completely and was satisfied with the result.

1/2 polemo peeled and desegmented
1 cucumber chopped into fine pieces
1/3 cup peanuts, roasted and crushed slightly

2 tbsp mint leaves, crushed
3 pods garlic crushed
2 tbsp fish sauce/ soya sauce
1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp chilli sauce
1 tsp sugar
salt to taste

Method:
Mix the fish/ soya sauce, lime juice, chilli sauce, sugar, garlic and mint leaves. Add a little water, if required so the sugar dissolves
Toss the polemo segments and cucumber, add the dressing, and mix well.
Let it refrigerate for1 hour. Add salt to taste, and mix well.
Add the roasted peanuts before serving.

Sprouts and apple salad

Now that I have started working full time, I am constantly on the look out for things that will keep the mid day hunger pangs at bay. Sprouts are a perennial favourite. This is a variation on a salad I tried out first about two years back, and I like it enough to make it again.

1 cup sprouted chana
1 apple, chopped into small pieces (reserve a few slices for garnish)
1 tbsp vinegar
Salt to taste

Method:
Bring 2 cups water to boil, add the vinegar and salt, and dissolve so it mixes well.
Add the sprouted channa to the water, and let it soak for 15 minutes.
Drain well, add the apple, mix, and serve.

Radish salad

This is adapted from something my mother has made a couple of times when I was a child.

1 large radish, grated
1 tsp cooking oil
1/2 tsp jeera seeds
3-4 tbsp peanuts
Red chilli powder to taste
Salt to taste

Method:
Heat the oil, splutter the jeera seeds. Add peanuts and fry on a low flame.
Pour over the grated radish, season with red chilli powder and salt, and mix well.
Serve chilled.

Paneer Salad with mint and pomegranate

There was a time when I would get really upset when the milk curdled, but no longer. Now, I simply make paneer out of it, and either use it in a dish or convert it into a salad. This is the first time I attempted this combination, and I am thrilled with the result.

250 gms paneer
1/2 pomegranate, deseeded
3-4 sprigs mint leaves

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp lime juice'
Salt to taste

Method:
Crush/ roughly pound the mint leaves
Mix the oils, lemon juice, salt and crushed mint leaves
Add the dressing to the paneer chunks and let it marinate for about 30 minutes.
Add the pomegranate seeds, and serve chilled

Carrot- beet root salad

Ever since I got back to working full-time, my time in the kitchen has dwindled to near zero. While I am happy for the time I got to experiment in the kitchen for nearly a year, if I am totally honest, I do not mind not having to slave for hours everyday to produce something that may or may not be palatable. But, I do miss trying out new recipes, and today, I decided to make a "top up" dish because I felt like doing so.
It ended up tasting much better than I expected, and for that I am glad.

2 medium carrots

1 medium beetroot

1 tbsp melon seeds (peanuts might be better, but I had run out of them)

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 green chilli (or more, as per taste)

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp lemon juice

Salt to taste

Method:

Grate the carrots and beetroots.

Mix the olive oil, sesame oil, lemon juice and salt, and pour over the grated vegetables. 

Break the green chilli in half and add to the grated vegetables. Mix well, and allow to marinate for 1 hour.

Add melon seeds and mix well. Garnish with sesame seeds before serving.

Serve cold.

Sprouts salad

The good thing about going back to work is the fact that I have fewer hours in a day when I can pop random junk into my mouth. The bad thing is that hunger still strikes me at regular intervals, so I need to pack multiple snack boxes to take with me to work. This is my favourite combinatio, revisited.

1 cup sprouted moong
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
100 gms paneer
Rock Salt to taste

Method:
Mix all the ingredients together, and enjoy.

Panazella salad with home grown basil

I've been itching to make panazella salad for a really long time, but even though I always have leftover bread, I never really got down to making it. It was when I was looking at my brand new Italian basil plant, that I decided to inaugurate it by making this Italian staple dish.

3 slices day old bread (I took the bread out and kept it in the fridge to dehydrate overnight.
Garlic cloves,1-2
1 tsp butter
2 tomatoes, cut into big chunks
1 cucumber, cut into small chunks
Fresh Basil leaves, torn in half
1 onion, cut into chunks


For the dressing- 1/4 cups olive oil
2 tbsp vinegar (I used sunkissed vinegar to get an additional kick)
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:
Rub the bread lightly with mixture of grated garlic and butter, and tear into bite sized pieces. Spread on a baking tray, and bake for a few minutes till golden.
Meanwhile, place the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, olive oil, vinegar and salt and pepper in a bowl, and mix well.
Add the basil leaves and bread. Toss well, and refrigerate for about 15 minutes to allow the bread to absorb the flavours.

Papa A La Huancaina

When I saw this Peruvian dish posted by SB about a month back, I knew I had to try it out sometime. With the kids home for the holidays, now is the prefect time and I made it today.

The dressing was really lovely, and I know for sure I am going to make it again soon, maybe even as a dip.

For Huancaina Sauce
Soda Biscuits: 10-12 crackers
Paneer: 250 gms
Red Habanero Chillies : 3-5 pieces (Can increase of decrease as per your spice preference)
Toned Milk: 200-250 mls (Tweak according to the consistency)
Salt: To Taste
Lemon Juice: To Taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil : 2-3 table spoons

For the salad
6-7 Boiled potatoes
6-7 boiled eggs
One bunch of Romaine Lettuce
Black Olives to Garnish


Method
Break the biscuits and add them to the blender, add crumbled paneer, pieces of habanero chillies, toned milk, extra virgin olive oil and salt and blend till a pasty consistency sauce is formed, taste and add lemon juice as per your acidity preference and chill.
On a platter spread the lettuce leaves, potatoes, boiled eggs and pour the sauce evenly over it and serve.

Radish salad

My mother calls this a curry. I think it is more of a salad. Since she is the person who first prepared it for me, I guess she has the right to name it, but since I am the one who is now making it for myself, maybe that right is mine. Even though, I haven't still decided what it should be called, I know this is one of those dishes I will never tire of.

One large radish (without leaves)
2-3 tbsp peanuts
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 green chilli
1 sprig curry leaves
Rock salt to taste
1/2 tsp cooking oil for tempering

Method
Grate the radish, sprinkle rock salt on it, and keep aside
Heat the cooking oil, and temper with mustard seeds, curry leaves and chilli. Once the mustard seeds stop spluttering, add the peanuts, and fry for a couple of minutes till the rawness goes.
Pour the oil over the radish, mix well, and let the flavours seep in for a couple of minutes

Kosimbir

If you are looking for a really healthy snack, look no further than Kosimbir. It is loaded with proteins, is super tasty, and once you figure out what to do with it, you can experiment all you like.
This is the basic version- one  handed down from my grandmother to my mother to me.

1 cup split moong dal
1 cucumber
2 tbsp grated coconut
1/2 lemon
salt to taste

For tempering (optional)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 green chilli
1 sprig curry leaves
a little cooking oil


Method
Soak the split moong dal overnight (or at least for 4 hours)
Cut the cucumber into tiny pieces and mix well with the dal
Add salt to taste, squeeze the lemon on top, and garnish with grated coconut
If you like, you can make the tempering and pour it over the kosimbir, or you can avoid it with no change in taste.
Serve chilled, either as a stand alone snack, or with rotis.

You can experiment with grated carrots, spring onions, etc.

Raw papaya salad

When I saw this dish posted by Manini Badlani on IFF, I knew I had to try it out. Coincidentally, the same day, I found raw payaya at the subjiwalla. I guess I was just meant to have this!

1 small raw papaya grated

2 carrots grated

1 small tomato thinly sliced

1/2 cup of roasted peanuts coarsely ground. 

For sauce

4 cloves of garlic

3 birds eye chillies

10 gms jaggery

salt

juice of 1 lemon

For garnish

Chopped spring onions

Chopped coriander leaves

Method

Make a sauce by grinding all the ingredients in a mortar and pestle.

Mix it all the veggies together, and add the sauce.

Garnish with green spring onions and corriander leaves.
Serve chilled.

Palak-paneer salad

Palak paneer is a favourite at home, so when I saw this recipe for a palak paneer salad, I had to try it out. I wasn't too sure about the raw spinach, but after reading about a woman who battled cancer with raw spinach, I decided to give it a try- I did wash it several times, though. And the salad was quite yummilicious.

Wash and clean 6/ 8 leaves of spinach. Chop fine.
Crumble 50 gms paneer, and toss it with the spinach.
Add juice of 1/2 lime, a dash of tabasco and salt to taste, and mix well.
Sprinkle 1tbsp roasted sesame seeds on top before serving.

- I didn't, but you could add peanuts for extra crunch
- planning to experiment with rock salt next time

Watermelon salad

Did I tell you I love watermelons? Nothing speaks "Summer" as much as they do. As far as I'm concerned, they don't need anything to be wonderful, but adding a bit of proteins makes it a healthy snack, and not just pure pleasure.

Toss together-
1 cup watermelon cut into small bites
50 gms paneer cut into small bites
4-5 walnuts chopped fine

Keep it in the fridge for about 30 minutes, so the paneer soaks in some of the watermelon juice. Sprinkle rock salt and serve/ eat.