Yummy salads for healthy life

Post Diwali, in fact after any big festival it is imperative to undergo a detox. Cleanse your body with these fresh and yummy salads, which are easy to make in your kitchen

Green Apple Salad

Ingredients:

1. Green apples 2 medium

2. Garlic 2 cloves crushed

3. Green chilli 2 roughly chopped

4. Roasted peanuts 4 tbsp

5. Light soy sauce 1 tbsp

6. Brown sugar 1 tbsp

7. Green beans 20 stringed

8. Coriander leaves jor garnish

9. Lemon juice of 2 lemons

Method:

1. Core and slice apples into thin slices and toss with juice of 1 lemon.

2. Cut the beans in one-inch pieces. Then blanch them in hot water for 3 minutes. Drain. Run through chilled water. Keep aside.

3. Crush the garlic and green chilies with the help of mortar and pestle.

4. Add two tbsp of the peanuts and crush them too.

5. Add the soy sauce, salt, brown sugar and rest of the lemon juice.

6. Taste it with one slice of Apple at this stage to determine, the sweetness, sourness and the saltiness. And add whatever is required at this stage.

7. Bruise the beans lightly to give the grip to dressing.

8. Mix the apples and beans and sprinkle the dressing. Mix well.

9. Sprinkle the coriander leaves and some whole peanuts.

10. Serve chilled.

Zucchini & Bell Pepper Salad

Ingredients:

1. 2 zucchinis sliced into ribbons

2. 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into ribbons

3. 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into ribbons

4. 2 tbsp roasted sesame seeds

5. freshly crushed black pepper

6. 1/2 tsp minced garlic (optional)

7. 1 tspn light soya sauce

8. 1/2 tbpsn extra virgin olive oil

9. Salt to taste

Method:

1. Blanch zucchini in water with a tspn of sugar for half a minute, to retain its colour. Take out and set aside to dry.

2. Heat oil in a wok, add crushed black pepper, soya sauce and garlic, and the red and yellow peppers. Cover and cook for a minute to soften the peppers. This will also release the sweet tangy flavours of the pepper into the salad.

3. Then add the sesame seeds and stir in the zucchini, just long enough to coat them – don't stir fry more than a few seconds or they'll lose their crunch. Serve chilled.

Radish & Green Gram Salad

Ingredients:

1. 1 cup grated coconut (grate through the biggest hole in the grater)

2. 2 cups white radish (also grated as above)

3. 6 tomatoes (deseeded and cut into long, thin strips)

4. 1/4 cup green gram (moong dhal) (soaked in cold water with salt for 2-3 hours)

5. Fistful of green coriander (roughly chopped)

6. 2-3 green chilies, chopped

7. Juice of 2 lemons (adjust)

8. Salt to taste

Seasoning:

1. 1 1/2 tsp small mustard seeds (rai)

2. 1/4 tsp asafetida (hing)

3. 2 tbsp refined oil

4. 5-6 dry red chillies

5. 2-3 sprigs curry leaves

Method:

Drain the water from the green gram and lightly mix with all the salad ingredients. In hot oil prepare the seasoning by spluttering small mustard seeds, asafetida, curry leaves and red chillies. Toss into the salad, mix well and adjust flavours. Serve chilled.

-Salttotaste.in