HAWAIIAN SALAD

Coconut water lends an unusual taste to this delightful salad.Cooking Time : 30 mins.Preparation Time : 30 mins.Serves 10.

Ingredients
1 drinking coconut (with thick coconut meat)
2 teacups mixed vegetables (french beans, carrots, green peas)
1 large can (850 grams) pineapple slices
1 teacup boiled spaghetti
200 grams fresh cream
5 tablespoons refined oil
4 to 5 teaspoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 tablespoon cornflour
salt and sugar to taste
For decoration
1 grated carrot
1 lettuce leaves
pineapple slices
glace cherries

Method
1. Cut the french beans and carrots like matchsticks and boil them with the green peas.
2. Break the coconut and keep aside the water in a vessel.
3. Scrape the coconut and slice the meat thinly.
4. Cut the pineapple into long strips.
5. Mix 3/4 teacup of the coconut water with the cornflour and cook until thick, stirring all the time.
6. Cool.
7. Mix the cream, refined oil, powdered sugar, mustard powder, salt and beat well.
8. Mix the vegetables, spaghetti, prepared cream, coconut cream, pineapple strips and coconut slices very well. Add salt and sugar to taste.
9. Pack in a jelly tin and press well. Chill thoroughly.
10. To serve, invert on a serving dish, decorate with grated carrot, lettuce leaves, pineapple slices and glace cherries.

AVOCADO SALAD

Vitamin E rich ingredient- avocado creatively tossed in to a salad with honey dressing rich in zinc.

Preparation Time : 20 mins. Cooking Time : Nil. Serves 6.

Ingredients
1 large avocado, sliced
2 capsicums
2 tomatoes, deseeded
8 to 10 pieces baby corn
2 cucumbers
To be blended into a dressing
4 tablespoons honey
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped mint leaves
½ teaspoon crushed pepper
salt to taste

Method

1. Gently peel and slice the avocado. Keep aside a few slices for decoration.
2. Cut the capsicum, tomatoes, baby corn and cucumber into big long strips.
3. Blanch the baby corn in boiling water for a few minutes. Drain.
4. Mix all the vegetables and the avocado slices in a large plate.
5. Add the dressing and put in the refrigerator.
6. Serve cold decorated with the remaining avocado slices.

SALAD CREAM (DVC)

SALAD CREAM (DVC)
Cooking Time : Nil.Preparation Time : a few mins.Makes about 1 1/4 teacups.

Ingredients
225 grams fresh cream
5 to 6 tablespoons salad oil or refined oil
1 teaspoon mustard powder
3 teaspoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Method
1. Mix all the ingredients together.
2. Store in a refrigerator.

ORANGE AND CABBAGE SALAD

A delicious salad with the tangy orange taste.Preparation Time : 30 mins.Setting Time : 25 mins.Serves 8 to 10.

Ingredients
1 packet (100 grams) orange jelly
1 teacup orange juice
1 teacup orange segments
1 tablespoon orange squash
1 1/2 teacups shredded cabbage
2 tablespoons chopped celery
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons powdered sugar (approx.)
For decoration
shredded cabbage
grated carrots
Thousand Island dressing to serve
Method
1. Keep the cabbage in ice-cold water at least 15 minutes.
2. Dissolve the jelly in 2 teacups of boiling water.
3. Cool a little and add the orange juice, vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
4. Set partially in the refrigerator.
5. When the jelly is partially set, break it up and add the orange segments, orange squash, cabbage, celery, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3 teaspoons powdered sugar.
6. Put to set in a wet ring mould or any fancy jelly mould.
7. Just before serving, dip the mould in hot water for a new seconds, loosen the sides and unmould on a plate.
8. Surround with shredded cabbage and grated carrots.
9.Serve cold with Thousand Island dressing.

THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING (DVC)

Cooking Time : Nil.Preparation Time : a few mins.Makes about 1 1/2 teacups.
Ingredients
1 teacup mayonnaise or 1 teacup salad cream
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
1 teaspoon chilli sauce
1 tablespoon chopped capsicum
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon hard-chopped boiled egg (optional)
a few finely chopped pieces of gherkin, olives and pimento (optional)
Method
1. Mix all the ingredients together.
2. Store in a refrigerator.

ORANGE SURPRISE

ORANGE SURPRISE

A tangy salad, ideal for the hot days.

Cooking Time : 35 min.Preparation Time : 20 min. Serves 12.

Ingredients
1 small can (450 grams) pineapple slices or peaches
100 grams orange jelly
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teacups grated carrots
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the garnishing
lettuce leaves
1 walnut
tomato slices
cucumber strips
capsicum strips
Method
1. Chop the pineapple slices very finely and keep aside a few pieces for decoration. Keep aside the syrup from the can.
2. Dissolve the jelly in 2 teacups of boiling water.
3. Cool a little and add the lemon juice, salt and 1 teacup of the pineapple syrup. Set partially in the refrigerator in a broad vessel.
4. When almost set, break up the jelly and add the carrots, walnuts and pineapple pieces.
5. Wet a bread mould tin and fill up with the jelly mixture.
6. Put to set in the refrigerator.
7. Just before serving, dip the mould in hot water for a few seconds, loosen the sides and unmould on a plate (or in individual serving bowls if for a sitting-down meal).
8. Surround with lettuce leaves, tomato slices and cucumber slices.
9. Decorate the jelly with a flower made from pineapple pieces with a walnut as the centre and capsicum strips as stem and leaves.
10. Serve cold.

FATTOUSH

FATTOUSH
An easy to make Middle Eastern salad with crispy croutons.
Preparation Time : 30 minutes
Cooking Time : 10 minutes

Ingredients

Green capsicums, seeded and cubed 1 medium
Tomato, 1 inch cubes 1 medium
Cucumber, 1 inch cubes 1 medium
Onion , 1 inch pieces 1 medium
Bread , 1 inch cubes 2-3 slices
Olive oil 1 tablespoon
Iceberg lettuce , torn 1 small bunch
Black olives 5-6
Green olives 5-6
Fresh parsley 1-2 sprigs

FOR THE DRESSING
Olive oil 3 tablespoons
Vinegar 1 tablespoon
Lemon juice 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Black peppercorns, crushed 1/2 teaspoon
Fresh parsley, chopped 1 tablespoon
Dry mint leaves 1 teaspoon

Method

1. Heat olive oil in a pan, add bread pieces and sauté on medium heat to make croutons.To make the dressing take olive oil in a bowl, add vinegar, lemon juice, salt, crushed peppercorns, parsley, dried mint and whisk well.
2. Tear iceberg lettuce into a bowl. Add all the vegetables and onion. Add black and green olives. Tear parsley and add. Toss well.
3. Just before serving pour the dressing over, add the croutons and toss.
4. Serve immediately.

DAL SHORBA

A lentil creamy soup.
Preparation Time : 1 minutes
Cooking Time : 15 minutes

Ingredients
Split green gram skinless (dhuli moong dal) 1/2 cup
Onion , chopped 1/4 medium
Ginger, chopped 1 inch piece
Garlic, chopped 2 cloves
Green chillies, chopped 2
Turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Butter 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds 1/2 teaspoon
Lemon juice 1 tablespoon
Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons

Method

1. Mix together moong dal, chopped onion, ginger, garlic, green chillies, turmeric powder and salt. Add five cups of water and bring it to a boil. Simmer for fifteen minutes.
2. Remove scum from the top from time to time.
3. Cook until dal is very soft.
4. Pass a through a soup strainer. Set aside.
5. Heat butter in a pan.
6. Add cumin seeds. Sauté on low heat so that the butter is not burnt but at the same time full flavour and aroma of cumin seeds comes out.
7. Add pureed dal, add water to correct consistency, if required. Bring it to a boil.
8. Add lemon juice.
9. Serve piping hot garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves