The word salad makes my mouth water instantly. Ever since my childhood I have always been fond of eating raw vegetables. My mom used to make various kinds of koshimbirs and raitas so that we eat more greens and veggies.
I was not exposed to the concept of dressings for a salad during my childhood, this concept I understood only after I went into my higher classes and I was exposed to a few cookery books available in the University Library. When I read about the various dressings which were very famous in the US and Europe, I realised my mom had also made all these dressings in some or the other variation but without adding the smart term ‘Dressing’ to her salads. After that for fun sake whenever my mom made a salad I used to give them nice English names.
When Pavani of
Cooks Hideout announced JFI:Peanuts, I knew what I had to post. JFI – Jihva for Ingredients is the brain child of Indira of
Mahanandi.
Peanuts are also called ‘Garibon ka Mewa’ meaning a rich food for the poor. There’s a scientific reason behind saying like that… Peanuts not only resemble the cashewnuts in their taste but are very rich in proteins (legumes), monosaturated fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, niacin, folate etc. So, they provide a complete nutrition at low cost.
Coming to my recipe as I have mentioned above, I knew what I had to make using the peanuts. This salad is a very favorite of mine. I remember eating the maximum share whenever my mom made this. It is just not simple & tasty but it’s healthily tasty. The addition of the crunch of roasted peanuts to the crunchiness of the raw veggies takes the salad to a different level. Make it to believe what I have said.
It needs very basic ingredients like
1 large tomato finely chopped
6-7 tbsp finely chopped cabbage
1 small cucumber finely chopped
6-7 tbsp nicely roasted and coarsely crushed peanut powder
2 green chilies very finely chopped
1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (coriander)
2 tsp lime juice
3/4 tsp sugar
salt to taste
2 tsp oil
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
Method to make the Salad
Mix Cabbage, Tomato, Cilantro, Cucumber, lime juice and green chilies.
To the crushed peanut powder add salt, sugar.
Heat oil and add cumin seeds. Put the tempering on the peanut mix. The peanut dressing is ready.
Add the peanut dressing to the mixed veggies but do not mix. Chill for an hour then mix and serve immediately. (This will prevent the water to come out of the veggies)
This can be served along with the main course or can be a meal in itself if some one wants to indulge only in salads.
This is my entry to
JFI- Peanuts August'09
