Showing posts with label Salad. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Salad. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Thai Cucumber Salad


Hello Everyone :) Today's recipe is "Thai Cucumber Salad". This salad is so light and very refreshing, perfect combination of sweet and sour with great crunch of roasted peanuts. I always make this salad with Thai food. It's even great as a side dish in BBQ, with Indian curries, in sandwiches, wraps, burgers etc... Make sure to serve chilled.


1 English Cucumber, thinly Sliced
1/4 Red Onion, thinly sliced
2-3 tbsp White or Rice Wine Vinegar, or to taste
1-1/4 tbsp Sugar, or to taste
1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes or finely chopped Thai Chili
2 tbsp Fresh Cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp Coarsely Crushed Roasted Peanuts
Salt to taste



1. Prepare/Gathered all the ingredients.

2. In bowl, mix all the ingredients except Coarsely Crushed peanuts.

3. Refrigerate it for 1-2 hours.


Enjoy...

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Summer Bean Salad








Very refreshing salad with lots of flavor and texture in it, made with two kinds of beans, fresh oranges, jalapeños, radish, feta cheese, grilled peppers, grilled romaine lettuce etc.. Easy and Delicious!




1. Heat the griddle to a medium-low heat.While the grill heats up,mix 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil, with 4 Grated Garlic Cloves, 1 tsp Italian Seasoning, 1 tsp Lemon Zest, and Salt-Pepper to taste.



2. Cut Romaine bunch in half lengthwise, keeping leaves intact. Brush the oil mixture to the both sides of the lettuce. Place the lettuce face down on the grill for 2-3 minutes.




3. Flip the romaine heart over and grill the other side for another 2-3 minutes or until there are clear grill marks.


4. When it's done put them on a plate, and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on hot Romain.


5. Brush sweet mini peppers too with oil mixer and grill them for 3-4 minutes on each sides.



6. Gather all the salad ingredients. White Kidney Beans-Black Beans, Chopped Tomatoes, Finely chopped Pickled Jalapeño, Chopped Red Radish, Fresh Orange Segments, Handful of chopped Cilantro, Chopped Grilled Peppers, Chopped Grilled Romaine Lettuce, Half cut Sweet Orange, Red Wine Vinegar, and Feta Cheese with little Salt and Pepper to taste.




7. Toss all the ingredients in bowl and squeeze whole orange in the salad. Toss it again and Serve.

Enjoy...

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Couscous Salad

I love love love this salad, light, and very refreshing. There are loads of flavors in this one bowl of salad like garbanzo beans gives nutty flavor, roasted red bell pepper for smoky flavor, cucumber-almonds gives crunch, cranberries and orange gives fruity punch in salad. I whisked together balsamic vinegar with extra virgin olive oil and herbs, and tossed the salad....ahhhh delicious :)

Ingredients :-

  • 1 cup Pearl Couscous
  • 1-1/2 cups Vegetable Broth
  • 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 3 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 2 Shallots, chopped
  • 2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
  • 3/4 cup Garbanzo Beans, boiled
  • 1/2 cup Cucumber, diced
  • 1/2 cup Black olives
  • 1/2 cup Fresh Orange Segments
  • 1 Big Roasted Red Bell Pepper, diced
  • 2 tbsp Toasted Sliced Almonds
  • 2 tbsp Dried Cranberry 
  • Salt and pepper to taste

--For Dressing 

  • 1/3 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 tbsp Aged Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 tsp Smoked Paprika
  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp Dry Basil
  • 1/4 tsp Dry Parsley
  • 1/4 tsp Oregano
  • Salt to taste
Add caption








Method :-


1. Heat 2 tbsp Olive Oil in sauce pan and saute 2 chopped shallots and 2 chopped garlic with little salt and pepper for 1-2 minutes.

2. Add 1 cup couscous, mix and toast them for 3-4 minutes on medium low heat or until it get brown in color.

3. Add 1-1/2 cups of vegetable broth, 2 tbsp Lemon Juice, salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the couscous is just tender and the broth is absorbed. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. Fluff up the couscous with fork.

5. Take out couscous in serving bowl, mix together garbanzo, cucumber, orange segment, red bell pepper, olives, almonds, and cranberris. 

6. Whisk all the dressing ingredients until smooth.

7. Drizzle over the salad and toss until all the ingredients are coated.

Enjoy...

Monday, June 6, 2011

Warm Kalonji Potato Salad & Radish Pickle For - Maitri



MAITRI means frendship.... MAITRI Friendship Chain is about sending along a mystery ingredient to your blogger friends. And they have to make something new, old, tasty with this mystery ingrediens, and it has to be vegetarian. The dish has to be made within a week of the ingredient arriving and posted on your blog. Hatts of to PRIYA and RESHMI who created this wonderful event, thanks gals :)) I also encourge my bloggi friends to join this chain.

I got matched with SWAPNA. Visit her blog for some amazing recipes. I reiceved a package from Swapna. She sent me Kalonji/Nigella seeds as a mystry ingredient. She also sent me this cute little baking dish and a greeting card too, that is so sweet of her.



I never used Kalonji before. I tasted it once or twice in killer Punjabi Kadhi one of my friends make so had an idea that it is usually used in PanchPoran for tadka. I wanted to make something different with it so I made two dishes.


1. WARM KALONJI POTATO SALAD: Easy to make and Kalonji gives very aromatic and distinct flavor. I also used fresh ingredints like orange wedges and fresh orange juice for the dressing.



Ingredients:-


  • 3 Medium Red Potatoes, cut into small pieces
  • 1 Garlic Clove, thinly Sliced
  • 1 tsp Kalonji/Nigella Seeds
  • 1 Orange, cut into wedges
  • 4 tbsp Orange Juice, fresh
  • 4 Cherry Tomatoes, cut into half
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • Fresh Tyme, chopped

Method:-

1. Heat oil in pan, cook sliced garlic and kalonji till garlic get little golden.

2. Add potatoes, cayyenne pepper, and salt.

3. Cook them until tender, than add cherry tomatoes. And let them warm.

4. Take it out salad in serving bowl, add orange, orange juice, and chopped thyme.

5. Mix well and serve warm.

Enjoy...

2. RED RADISH PICKLE: Instant, easy, and flavorful. Can be stored in refrigerator for week.



Ingredients:-

  • 8-9 Red Radish, julienne cut or Shredded
  • 1/2 tsp Kalonji/Nigella Seeds
  • 1/4 tsp Methi Kuria
  • 1/4 tsp Fennel Seeds
  • 1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds
  • 1/4 tsp Hing
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Red Chili Powder
  • 3 Thai Chilies, rufly chopped
  • 1 tsp Amchur
  • 3 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt to taste

Method:-

1. In bowl mix radish with, salt, amchur, and lemon juice well. Keep aside.

2. Heat oil in pan and splutter mustard seeds. Turn down the heat on low.

3. Now add hing, kalonji, fennel seeds, methi kuria, thai chilies, turmeric, and red chili powder. Saute them for 20-25 seconds.

4. Pour this tadka on radhish. Mix well and cover with lid or plastic wrap for 15 minutes.

5. Serve with your favorite food.

Enjoy...

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Green Lentil Salad


When I came to US, I knew very few things about Italian Cuisine. Italian food meant Pasta and Pizza only but thanks to Food Network and Giada De Laurentiis for introducing me to this cuisine. I think I am very fortunate to meet her personally :))

I was addicted to her 'Everyday Italian.' I tried her many recipes, pasta, soups, desserts, and salads. This is one of my favorite salad recipe.

This salad is absolutely, incredibly delicious, the way she made it so I didn't change anything. It is very fresh, light, and filling. Toasted Hazelnuts are highlights of the salad. They give them amazing crunch and flavor. Taste this and fall in love with it with first crunchy bite.

Ingredients:-

-- For Salad


  • 1 pound Green Lentils, boiled in salted water, drained and cool
  • 2 scallions, chopped
  • 1 cup Seedless Green Grapes, halved
  • 1 cup Seedless Red Grapes, halved
  • 1 English Cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and diced
  • 1/2 cup Skinned Hazelnuts, coarsely chopped and toasted
  • 2 teaspoons lemon zest

-- For Vinaigrette

  • 1/3 cup fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1/3 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1/4 tsp Honey
  • 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Dried Basil
  • 1/4 tsp Dried Oregano
  • Salt to taste


Method:-

1. Mix lentils and remaining salad ingredients in a large salad bowl.

2. In another bowl pour lemon juice, honey, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. Whisk it for 2 minutes.

3. Add black pepper, basil, oregano, and whisk again.

4. Pour vinaigrette over the salad, toss, and serve.

Enjoy...

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Sprouts Salad W/ Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette


This is a fusion salad dish. The main ingredients are two different kinds of sprouts. Sprouts are very important ingredient in vegetarian food world. Sprouts are very good for the digestive system. They have protein, minerals, vitamins etc. Sprouts can be used in salad, sandwich, and even in khichdi or biryani, curries. They are also very good in soups. In different recipes, sprouts can be used raw as well.

For this salad, I used two very common and popular sprouts, moong and brown chana(gram). For vinaigrette, I used aged balsamic vinegar and whole roasted garlic. The roasted garlic has wonderful smoky flavor and a great smell and the combination of garlic and balsamic vinegar goes a long way. In Indian recipes, we use these sprouts with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Here I used balsamic vinegar with roasted garlic which is very prominent in Italian cuisine to make a true fusion.


Ingredients:-


  • 1 cup Sprout Moong
  • 1 cup Sprout Brown Chana
  • 1/4 cup Cucumber, chopped
  • 1/4 cup Mooli, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
  • 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1 tbsp Green Chili, chopped
  • 1 tsp Garam Masala
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • Salt to taste

-- For Vinaigrette

  • 1 Big Whole Garlic
  • 4 tbsp Aged Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp Brown Sugar
  • 4 tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt to taste
  • Black Pepper to taste

Method:-

1. Cook sprouts chana and moong in boiling water, until they are tender. Drain well.

2. Cut garlic into half. Season it with little salt, pepper. Drizzle olive oil on the cut side of the garlic.

3. Cover each half in aluminum foil and put in baking sheet. Roast them in oven for 35-40 minutes at 400 degrees.

3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan. Add cumin seeds, green chili, sprout moong, and sprout chana. Mix well and keep it warm on low heat.

4. Add salt, garam masala and let it warm in pan.

5. In the mean time, peel roasted garlic cloves. Add them in blender with oil, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, brown sugar and salt. Blend it and make thick vinaigrette.

6. Take out Beans in serving platter, Add tomato, mooli, cucumber, and vinaigrette. Mix well.

7. Serve warm or cool.

Enjoy...

This is my entry to Divya's, Diet Foods Event

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Orzo Pasta Salad



Orzo is a type of pasta which looks like a long-grain rice, only thicker. Usually, it is served with different kind of grilled vegetables and meat, for children with cheese and cream, and it is little heavy. My idea behind this salad is to use the taste of this pasta in a lighter way. This dish only has around 90 calories per serving without any artificial ingredients, and lemon and honey together usually never go wrong.


Ingredients:-

-- For Salad


  • 1 cup Orzo Pasta
  • 10 Olives, cut in half
  • 10 Cheery Tomatoes, cut into half
  • 1 tsp Dried Cranberries
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Almond, slivered
  • Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped

-- For Vinaigrette

  • 1 Lemon
  • 1 tsp Honey
  • 4 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1/2 tsp Oregano
  • Salt to taste
  • Black Pepper to taste

Method:-

1. Cook orzo pasta in lightly-salted boiling water for 8-9 minutes or until just al dente. Drain pasta and place in a large bowl. Mix olives, cheery tomatoes, dried cranberries, basil and slivered almonds into cooked orzo pasta with 1 tbsp olive oil.

2. In blender, add lemon juice, honey, olive oil, oregano, salt, and black pepper. This is the Vinaigrette. (You can use any kind of vinegar like balsamic, red wine, etc. instead of lemon juice)

3. Transfer the pasta salad to a serving dish and pour vinaigrette according to your taste.

Enjoy...

This is my entry to AWED :Italiano hosted by Dhivya.