Beat the heat!!!

Can there be a better way to eat watermelon on a Sunday afternoon after returning from a 5 hour long shopping streak on a rather hot day? Chilled watermelon escorted out of the fridge(deseed if you have patience), chopped into chunks of desired shape and add a bit of chaat masala, black pepper powder and black salt over it.. Aaahh… heaven! :)

Whole Moong Salad

Whole moong salad is one nutritious salad prepared regularly at my place. Sometimes when I am too lazy to cook lunch for myself, this is just the thing for me.. My hubby loves this for breakfast since this is very quick n easy with some preparations on previous day! Just some sprouted moong and some Indian salad vegetables at hand and its ready.. Whole moong, rich in protein, makes a good salad with other salad vegetables topped with some fresh lemon juice... Here's Whole Moong Salad for Nupur's "W of Indian Vegetables"

Whole Moong Salad

Makes:

1 portion each for 2 people

What you need:

1 cup Sprouted Whole Moong (green gram)

1/2 Onion, chopped finely [~1/4 cup]

1 small Tomato, chopped finely [~1/4 cup]

1 small Carrot, chopped finely [~1/4 cup]

1/2 Cucumber, chopped finely [~1/4 cup]

1 Green Chilli, chopped finely

1 tsp chopped Corriander

1-2 tsp Lemon Juice

1 tsp Sugar

1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder

1/2 tsp Black Pepper powder

A pinch of Black Salt

Salt to taste

How to proceed:

1) Mix all ingredients

2) Add lemon juice just before serving

* If desired, substitute lemon juice with yoghurt to make Whole Moong Raita!

Kakadichi Koshimbir

Indian salads are differenciated by addition of yoghurt. They are usually called as raitas, koshimbirs, pachadis etc. according to the region they belong to.. the major difference being the addition of one or the other ingredient. The Maharashtrian salad, koshimbir, is distinguished by the addition of roasted peanut powder. Koshimbir serves as a great accompaniment to parathas and daal rice. Koshimbir is prepared with cucumber, tomatoes, beetroot, carrots, onions etc. mixed with yoghurt, at times simply one ingredient or at times is combination! Koshimbir is a must in Maharashtrian wedding and is one of the first items to be served in the dish!

The Maharashtrian salad for RCI Maharashtrian Cuisine is Kakadichi Koshimbir. Kakadi(cucumber) has a special importance in Maharashtra, specially on days on fasting. On special fasts, simply sliced kakadi or kakadi in salad form is eaten while breaking the fast. Some people consider kakadi as fasting food. Kakadichi koshimbir is quick and easy to make with just onion and cucumber at hand with some thick yoghurt.

Kakadichi Koshimbir

What you need:

1/2 cup finely chopped cucumber
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup Thick Yoghurt
1 tsp roasted Cumin Seeds
4-5 tsp Peanut Powder (peanuts roasted and pounded)
1 tsp Sugar
Salt to taste

How to proceed:

1) Mix all ingredients well
2) Leave in fridge to cool for sometime (optional)
3) Serve cold with hot rotis/ parathas!