Saturday, March 30, 2013

Veggie Salads - Formula

In general, I use this formula for the raw veggie salad.
1 part = 50 gms

Base:
  • 1 part sprouts
  • 2 parts of a creeper or climber variety vegetable. Grated or very finely chopped. This would be typically, anything that ends in a 'gourd' -   (bitter gourd is an exception :) Bottle gourd and Snake gourd taste good. So do Chayote/Chow-chow and Flat beans. All these veggies are alkaline and provide a good amount of fiber. Pick your favorite.
  • 1 part of one of these - grated or finely chopped.
    • carrots
    • beans
    • beets 
    • turnips
    • cabbage
    • broccoli
    • baby corns
Seasoning:A mix of these 4
  • Finely chopped cilantro or basil to taste
  • Finely chopped tomatoes - 2 medium sized per person may be a good start
  • Fresh coconut gratings or a dash of lime but not both
  • One tea spoon of ginger juice per person
Mix the seasoning to the base and set aside for 20 minutes.
Let's try eating without salt n pepper and see if we really need it!

Variations:

  • Adding 2 Table spoons of grated radish per person will perk up the salad.
  • Those who have access to gooseberry can add it for a more salty flavour.
  • Instead of sprouts, you can add a third vegetable or greens or fresh peas to the base.
  • In summer,  adding cucumber to the seasoning makes the salad more juicy.
  • In winter, finely chopped onions can be added if you like that flavor.