Classic Summer Salads

Bottled readymade dressing is overpriced and laden with unwanted sugar and salt. Making a simple salad dressing is easy. Adding a little flavour by way of fresh herbs as simple as crushed mint, coriander leaves or a little chopped garlic goes a long way in zesting up a salad. Try these classic salads and add a little zing to your meal times

Classic Greek Salad

This is a firm favourite with the fresh crunch from cucumbers and ripe tomatoes adding a little sweetness. Add black or green olives for a touch of salty flavour.

Ingredients

Hot Dog Bread Roll, cut into cubes 1 small

Romaine or Iceberg Lettuce 1 small bunch

Cucumber, cubed 1 medium

Ripe Tomatoes, deseeded and cubed 2 medium

Green Bell Pepper, deseeded and cubed ½

Red Onion, Sliced thinly into semi circles 1 small

Fresh Feta cheese, crumbled

(use fresh crumbled paneer to substitute) 1 small

Pitted green olives ¼ cup

For the dressing

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 tbsps

Clove, garlic, peeled and minced finely chopped1

Lemon Juice 1 tbsp

Fresh Basil Leaves, chopped

(use ½ tsp dried to replace) A sprig

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

• Whisk all the ingredients for dressing and set aside.
• Wash, pat dry and chop all the vegetables to the same size.
• In a hot pan, toast the bread cubes till crisp.
• Mix together the cucumber, tomato, bell pepper, olives and onion. Add ½ the salad dressing and toss well.
• To serve, divide the lettuce into two plates, top with half the vegetables. Top with crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle the remainder of the dressing and serve immediately.

Baby Spinach, Figs and Apple Salad

Classic fruity salad with fresh figs that are in season now

Ingredients

Baby Spinach 1 small bunch

(take the tender leaves from regular spinach)

Fresh & Ripe Figs (Cut into quarters) 8

Green Apple (cut into thin semi circles) 1

Toasted Walnuts ¼ Cup

For the dressing

Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 tbsp

Honey 2 tbsps

Balsamic Vinegar ½ tsp

Salt and Pepper - to taste

Method

• Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and set aside.
• Pick out the tough stems of the spinach, wash and drain thoroughly on paper towels.
• Cut the figs into quarters and the apple into semi circles, after removing the core.
• To serve, place the spinach at the bottom of the serving plate, assemble the apple and figs on top with the dressing. Garnish with toasted walnuts and serve immediately.

Asian Raw Mango Salad

This is a simple Thai inspired salad that uses crisp raw green mangoes which are in season now

Ingredients

Raw Green Mango (Peeled and Grated) 1 Cup

Red Bell Pepper (sliced very thin) 1/2 Cup

Yellow Bell Pepper (sliced very thin) ½ cup

A few sprigs of Fresh Coriander

Jaggery 1 tbsp

Peanuts 1 tbsp

Sesame Seeds 1 tbsp

Salt and pepper – to taste

Method

• In a dry pan, over medium heat, roast the sesame seeds and peanuts separately till golden. Remove and cool. Remove the skin of the peanuts. Pound this in a mortar and pestle along with the jaggery to form a coarse powder. Set aside
• Grate the raw mango and slice the bell peppers very thinly. Chill these till you are ready to serve.
• To serve, mix together the raw mango, bell peppers, salt and pepper. Pile onto a serving plate, top with fresh coriander and sprinkle generously with the jaggery-peanut powder. Serve chilled.
• This salad should be assembled just before serving else, it will get soggy.