QUICK CUCUMBER CARROT PICKLE WITH MUSTARD DRESSING

This Cucumber Carrot Pickle is a lovely way to incorporate fresh vegetables in your meal. It imbibes the goodness of carrots and cucumbers, the green chilies give it the desired punch and the mustard oil and lemon juice add a delicious flavor to it. A healthy pickle indeed!

I have used carrots and cucumbers but you could also use beetroots and radish. This is so toothsome that I enjoy it by itself even before I sit down for a meal. A lot of traditional gujarati restaurants offer this as a side when you sit down for a gujarati thali. 

Do give it a shot and share your experience with me.

Ingredients:

Carrot, 1 peeled and thinly sliced

Cucumber, 1 thinly sliced

Green Chilies, 1 slit

Salt, 1/4 tsp

Lemon Juice, half a lemon

Split Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp

Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp

Asafoetida, a pinch

Mustard Oil Raw, 1 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Take carrots in a bowl.

2. Add in the sliced cucumbers.

3. Next go in the green chilies.

4. Season with salt and lemon juice and mix well.

5. Set this aside for 15 minutes to get rid of the excess water.

6. After 15 minutes, drain the excess water. Set aside.

7. In a separate bowl, take the split mustard seeds.

8. Add in the turmeric powder.

9. And the asafoetida. 

10. Lastly, add the mustard oil and mix well.

11. Pour the prepared dressing over the carrot cucumber mixture. Toss well. 

12. This pickle tastes great by itself and with chapatis and rice/khichdi too. It is best consumed in 4 days of preparing it. 

VAGHARELA MUG/ CHAUNKE MUNG/ TEMPERED WHOLE GREEN GRAM

What are you making for breakfast tomorrow? How about this quick and healthy Vagharela Mug? It simple, quick and nutritious. It's a great lunch box idea and can be prepared ahead of time. You can make it even healthier by using sprouted green gram. 

This tastes great all by itself and goes well when had with chapatis and rice too. We like the flavor of ghee but you're welcome to use oil too. Try it for yourself and let me know how you like it.

Ingredients:

Whole Green Gram, 1/2 cup soaked for atleast an hour

Ghee, 1 tsp

Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp

Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp

Asafoetida a pinch

Curry Leaves, a sprig

Green Chilies, 2 roughly chopped

Onions, half an onion roughly chopped

Salt to taste

Turmeric Powder, 1/3 tsp

Coriander Cumin Powder, 1/2 tsp

Red Chili Powder, 1/2 tsp

Jaggery Powder, 1/2 tsp

Fresh Coriander Leaves, 1 tbsp

A wedge of lemon for each serving

Procedure:

1. Pressure cook the whole green gram until soft with salt. I gave it 3 whistles and then set aside for the pressure to release by itself before opening. 

2. Heat oil in a pan. 

3. Add cumin and mustard seeds and let them splutter. 

4. Add asafoetida. 

5. Flavor with curry leaves.

6. Next add in the onions and green chilies. Saute till the onions turn translucent.

7. Season with salt, coriander cumin and red chili powder. 

8. Add the jaggery powder. 

9. Now add the boiled green gram and mix gently to combine well with the prepared mixture. 

10. Give it about 8-10 minutes on low heat. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

11. Serve hot with a lemon wedge on the side. 

CHICKPEA SALAD WITH YOGURT DRESSING

This is the perfect Summer Salad.. Healthy, Minty and Cooling. Its great for picnics and Lunch too. You can prepare this ahead of time and serve cold.

Ingredients:

Chickpeas, 1 cup boiled

Fresh Mint, handful

Fresh Coriander Leaves, handful 

Green Chili, 1-3 (Optional)

Ginger, 1/2 tsp chopped

Cucumber, 1 quartered

Red Pepper, 1 cubed

Onions, 1 cubed

Greek Yogurt, 500 gms

Salt to taste

Lemon, 1 

Procedure:

1. Wash and pat dry the mint and coriander.

2. In a blender, make a paste of the coriander, mint, green chilies and ginger. 

3. In a bowl take the boiled chickpeas, cucumber, red peppers and onions. Add in the mint coriander paste and mix.

4. Add in the greek yogurt and salt and mix well. 

5. Plate the salad. Arrange a sprig of mint on the side along with a wedge of lemon and enjoy!

 

A Gourmet Meal

WARM CABBAGE, CARROT & CUCUMBER SALAD

This is the recipe to that wonderfully colorful, spicy and tangy salad that served as an accompaniment with Gujarati Thali. The recipe is quick and easy with ingredients typically available at home. Unlike most our salads this is a little warm, which makes it perfect for winter too. 

Ingredients:

Carrot, 1 cup, peeled finely chopped

Cabbage, 1 cup finely chopped

Cucumber, peeled and finely chopped

Fresh Coriander leaves, 3 tbsp

Green Chilies, 1 finely chopped

Black Pepper Powder, 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Jaggery Powder, 1 tsp

Garlic, 1 clove, minced

Coconut Fresh, 1 tbsp grated

Roasted Cumin Powder, 1 tsp

Oil, 1 tsp

Asafoetida, a pinch

Toasted Sesame seeds, 1 tbsp

Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp

Vinegar, 1 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Take a bowl and add in the chopped Carrots, cucumber and cabbage. 

2. Add in the green chilies and coriander leaves.

3. Add in the pepper powder, minced garlic, grated coconut, roasted cumin powder and jaggery powder and mix.

4. Add in the vinegar and mix again. 

5. Heat a pan, once hot add in the oil. Once the oil is hot add in the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add in the asafoetida. Now add in the prepared salad and mix well. Lastly add in the salt turn off the heat and serve. 

Green Papaya Salad

With the onset of summers you don't want to binge on fried or hot food anymore. This Green Papaya Salad adds a great variety to your lunch salad. It has the delicious Thai taste but absolutely vegetarian. You can pack it for lunch or serve it up with some chinese food or thai food to your friends and family to spice up the meal.

Ingredients:

Onions, 1 thinly sliced

Red Pepper, 1/2 thinly sliced

Yellow Peppers, 1/2 thinly sliced

Green Papaya, 1/2 grated

Cucumber, 1 cut in ribbons

Lettuce, 1/4 torn with hands

Green Mung Sprouts

Cabbage, 1/4 shredded

Spring Onions, 4 stalks cut lengthwise

Carrots, 1 sliced

Sesame oil, 2 tbsp

Sweet chili sauce, 1 tbsp

Soy sauce, 1 tbsp

Vinegar, 1 tbsp

Red Chili Flakes, 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Sesame seeds, 1.5 tbsp

Roughly crushed groundnut, 1.5 tbsp

Procedure:

1. Take the sliced onions in a bowl.

2. Add in the red and yellow peppers.

3. Add in the shredded papaya.

4. Add in the cucumber ribbons.

5. Add in the glass noodles.

6. Add in the sprouted mung beans.

7. Add in the shredded cabbage.

8. Add in the carrots.

9. Add in the lettuce.

10. Add in the spring onions.

11. Give this a good mix and set aside.

12. Take a separate bowl and add in the oil. 

13. Add in the sweet chili sauce.

14. Add in the vinegar.

15. Add in the soy sauce.

16. Add in the chili flakes.

17. Mix this for 2-3 minutes and refrigerate it for an hour.

18. Just before serving add the dressing to the salad and dress it up with some sesame seeds and crushed groundnut.

19. If you are taking it for your lunch, pack the salad, dressing and the sesame seeds and groundnuts separately. Assemble when you are ready to eat.