Salad – Astha's Kitchen

WATERMELON CUCUMBER AND QUINOA SALAD

I absolutely love salads and try to incorporate them in everyday meals.
The most amazing and prettiest Watermelon Cucumber and Quinoa Salad! Made with 5 simple ingredients like Watermelon, crisp cucumber, shaved onion, feta and fluffy quinoa with a mint and basil vinaigrette for a delicious Summer in a bowl meal.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cucumber diced, skin on
2 cups cubed watermelon
1/2 cup dry quinoa
1/2 cup thinly shaved onion
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese I used paneer here

BASIL AND MINT VINAIGRETTE:

1/4 cup finely sliced fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup finely sliced fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 tbsp raw honey
1/2 lemon juiced
pinch of salt and black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a medium saucepan, add in dry quinoa and water on medium-high heat, stir and bring to a boil.
Once water has reached a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 12-15 min until cooked.
Fluff with a fork and set aside aside to cool.
In a large salad bowl, add in all ingredients and gently toss.

BASIL AND MINT VINAIGRETTE:

In a glass jar add in all ingredients and shake well until emulsified together.

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ORANGE SPINACH AND PANEER SALAD

Here is a lovely salad that gives you a bit of everything – tanginess, juiciness, crunch, cheesiness and spice!

Paneer, spinach and orange make a fabulous salad combo, which is enhanced further by the peppy, flavour-packed dressing
Mixed herbs and pepper add a dash of spice to this dressing, which combines the sweet notes of honey and the pungency of lemon juice .

You can try other salads like the GRILLED PINEAPPLE AND CORN SALAD, ROASTED BEETROOT AND ORANGE SALAD, HEALTHY CHICKPEA SALAD, WATERMELON BLUEBERRY COTTAGE CHEESE SALAD WITH CUCUMBERS, Crunchy Munchy Sprouts Salad in Cabbage Cups, Fresh Salad In Watermelon Bowl from my page.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup orange segments
3 cups spinach (palak)
1/4 cup crumbled paneer
1/2 cup quartered strawberries
1/4 cup cucumber

To Be Mixed Into A Dressing:

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tbsp organic honey
1/2 spoon black pepper
salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS:

Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl, along with the dressing and mix gently.
Add the crumbled paneer, mix very gently.
Serve immediately.

I love to make my recipes in heart shape so i use cookie cutter and shape heart shape.

I used paneer here , you can use feta cheese too.

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KHAMANG KAKADI RECIPE/ CUCUMBER SALAD

A very refreshing and cooling summer salad, Khamang Kakadi can be made very easily and in a jiffy. It can be had as a salad or as a side dish to the main course or just by itself as a refreshing and light mid-time snack.

The best thing about Khamang Kakdi/Kakdi chi Koshimbir is that it is very light on the stomach.

Today I am sharing a very delicious and famous Maharashtrian salad – Khamang Kakadi recipe with you. This (salad) koshimbir is made with Cucumber (Kakadi in Marathi) and one can sense a strong tempering in it which means Khamang and hence the name of the dish.
This koshimbir recipe calls for use of fresh scrapped Coconut, roasted crushed Peanuts, finely chopped green chillies and fresh Coriander leaves apart from the main ingredient Cucumber. This mixture is then tempered with curry leaves, mustard seeds and cumin seeds and finally seasoned with lemon juice, sugar and salt.

This is a very easy recipe and gets done quickly. So when you want to have refreshing and light food between meals, then this Khamang kakdi is an option.

INGREDIENTS :
4-5 medium-sized Cucumber ( Kheera)
3 tbsp fresh scrapped Coconut ( Nariyal)
3 tbsp of roasted and coarsely powdered Peanuts(dardara pisa mungfali dana )
2 tbsp of finely chopped Coriander leaves(Dhaniya)
1 green Chilly finely chopped ( Hari Mirch)
For tempering :
1-2 tbsp of Ghee (clarified Butter)
1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds (Rai)
1/4 tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
Pinch of Asafoetida ( Hing)
1-2 sprig of Curry Leaves (Kadi Patta)
For Seasoning :
1 tbsp Sugar or as required (Chini)
1 tbsp fresh Lemon juice( Nimbu ka ras)
Salt to taste ( Namak Swad anusar)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Rinse and peel the Cucumber. Taste both edges of all the cucumber before chopping. Discard if any Cucumber is bitter. Finely chop all the Cucumber and place in a bowl. Add a little salt and keep it aside for 10 minutes.
Lightly squeeze the Cucumber to release the extra water. This step will avoid the salad from being soggy after addition of peanut powder and Coconut. Discard the water.
Roast the peanuts on a heated skillet or pan. Let it cool down, remove the peel by rubbing and grind to a coarse powder in a mortar and pestle or just pulse in the grinder. Take care not to make a fine powder.
In a mixing bowl place the chopped Cucumber, fresh scrapped Coconut, coarsely ground peanuts, finely chopped green chillies and finely chopped fresh coriander leaves. Mix properly.
Heat up 1 -2 tbsp of ghee in a pan on medium heat. Add Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, Hing and Curry leave. Once the mustard seeds crackle and cumin seeds sizzle put off the flame. Pour this tempering over the Cucumber mixture.
Season the salad with lemon juice, sugar and salt just before serving. Give it a quick toss and serve the delicious and refreshing Summer salad and enjoy with your loved ones!
I hope you would love to give this recipe a try. Do not forget to give your valuable feedback.

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GRILLED PINEAPPLE AND CORN SALAD

Quick, easy and super delicious Grilled Pineapple and corn salad made with Mexican dressing.

Fresh in season, sweet pineapple slices are grilled and tossed grid together with soft chickpeas, corn, pomegranate, onion and cucumber with a lot of coriander in a delicious dressing. Chickpeas make this salad hearty and pack a good amount of protein in the salad.

The dressing is made with all of the favourite Mexican ingredients like Mexican seasoning, cumin powder, chilli powder and a lot of lemon juice. This salad is sweet, spicy and tangy all at the same time. It’s really refreshing and you will just keep going for more and more.

It’s simple, customizable and comes together quickly. So so delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole Fresh Pineapple
1/2 cup Boiled Chickpeas
1 large cucumber- diced
1 medium onion- thinly sliced
1/2 cup cooked corn
1/4th cup pomegranate aerials
1/4th cup chopped fresh cilantro/coriander

Dressing:

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp Mexican seasoning
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste (1/2 – 1 tsp)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Start by cleaning the pineapple and removing the thorns (I recommend you get it done from the vendor you buy it from).
Cut pineapple into slightly thicker slices and place on the grill once it’s hot.
Make sure to keep the grill adjusted on high heat.( In case you don’t have an electric grill/panini maker, you can caramelize pineapple on a non-stick pan or a grill pan on high heat) even I use a grill pan for this.
Once the pineapple is charred, take off the heat and let it cool. Cut into chunks and keep aside. (Don’t overcook the pineapple and make it all soggy)
To prepare the dressing, add all the ingredients in a small air-tight container and give a good mix. Taste and adjust the flavours if required. (Salt is really important in this salad so ensure to add enough salt.)
Next, assemble the salad. Add pineapple chunks, chickpeas, pom, corn, cucumber, onion and fresh coriander in a salad bowl. Pour the dressing and toss everything together.
Chill for half an hour and then serve.

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ROASTED BEETROOT AND ORANGE SALAD

Today I am sharing the recipe of this vibrant beetroot salad which bursts with flavour. Soft beets teamed with fresh oranges, mint leaves, paneer and topped with a delicious simple dressing. This salad is a total winner!

Apart from having a beautiful pink colour, beetroot has numerous health benefits too. Beetroot is a rich source of antioxidant, lowers blood pressure and it’s almost fat-free. Beetroot is also high in fibre, iron and potassium. Beetroot is usually perceived as a boring vegetable but it can be used in so many different ways. Try it in soups, salads, cake, stews for not only its gorgeous colour but also sweet earthy taste.

INGREDIENTS:

3 beetroots
segments of two oranges
1 Chopped Cucumber
1/2 cup pomegranate kernels
few mint leaves
Crumbs of paneer

Dressing:
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp honey
1 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp orange juice
salt to taste
black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place beetroots in aluminium foil and drizzle some olive oil, salt and black pepper. Fold it up and bake in the oven at 180 degrees for about 30 minutes or until tender.
Once done, peel off the skin and cut in small dices.
To serve, add diced beets on a plate and top with Cucumber, pomegranate, orange segments, mint leaves and paneer .
For dressing, whisk together olive oil, honey, lemon juice, orange juice, salt and pepper.
Pour 2-3 tsp of dressing over the salad and serve.
You can also throw in greens like baby spinach, lettuce and nuts for better texture.
If you try this recipe, leave a comment or tag the photo #asthaskitchen on Instagram.

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SPROUTS AND MIXED VEGETABLE SALAD

One of the easiest and healthiest of all the salads- sprouted green gram salad. Sprouted green gram is rich in protein, easy to digest and when combined with some colourful vegetables and Indian spices make for a very fulfilling healthy evening snack.

You need to slightly plan ahead for this salad, as soaking and sprouting can take around 2 to 3 days depending on the temperature of your place. The recipe is very flexible, add or replace any vegetables of choice. You can also do multiple sprouted salad.

INGREDIENTS :

1 cup sprouts

Soak one cup of green gram (moong) overnight insufficient water. Drain the excess water in the morning. This step is common for both the methods mentioned below.

*Using sprout maker
I have a sprout maker, so I put soaked moong along with water in it and they are ready in 12-15 hours.

*Using cloth
Take a cotton cloth/cheesecloth and tie the soaked moong in it. Then place it in a warm place and check for sprouting in 1-2 days.
Depending on the temperature at your place, it may take more or less time.

OTHER INGREDIENTS :

Peanuts, pressure cooked for 1 whistle/ boil in water for 10 minutes- 1/2 cup
Finely chopped yellow/red pepper- 1/4 cup
Finely chopped onions- 1/4 cup
Finely chopped tomatoes- 1/4 cup
Finely chopped coriander- for garnishing

OTHER FLAVOURINGS AND SEASONINGS :

Chaat masala- 2 teaspoons
Salt- to taste
Roasted cumin powder- 1/2 teaspoon
Chilly flakes/green chillies chopped/red chilli powder- according to taste preference
Lemon juice- from 1 big lemon

INSTRUCTIONS:

In a microwave on high power, cook the sprouted moong for 3 to 4 minutes, tossing once in between. This removes any unwanted odour and bacterial growth from the sprouts.
You can also saute the sprouts in 1 teaspoon oil in a non-stick pan.
Allow the sprouts to cool down, transfer it to a big bowl.
Add boiled peanuts.
Add all the chopped vegetables except coriander.
Mix in lemon juice, salt and all other spices. Toss the sprouts well.
Garnished with coriander.

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