Layered Mexican Dip/Layered Salad

For the Guacamole;
Ingredients:
Avocados - 1
Red Onion - 1/4 cup, chopped finely
Tomato - 1/4 cup, chopped finely (removing the pulp)
Garlic - 1/4 tsp, minced
Salt and Pepper - to taste
Lime Juice - 2 tbpsns

Method:
Scoop out the avocados and mash it well. Add the remaining ingredients and mix it well.
Keep is aside.

For the Dip;
Guacamole - 2 cups
Sour Cream - 2 cups
Olives - 2 cups, cut into circles
Cilantro - 1 1/2 cups, chopped finely
Spring Onions/Green Onions - 2 cups, cut into circles (only the white parts)
Mozzarella Cheese - 2 cups, shredded
Salsa - 2 cups (optional)

Method:
Take a medium sized (6 cup) rectangular or square dish.
First layer the guacamole. Next layer it with olives. Third layer with the sour cream. Next layer the green onions. Then layer with cilantro and finally end with the cheese.
Refrigerate for atleast 2-3 hours. Serve it with Salsa and Tortilla Chips.

Peanut and Veg Salad

Ingredients:

Raw Peanuts - 2 cups

Cucumber - 1 1/2 cups, chopped

Mango - 1 cup, chopped

Carrot - 1 cup, grated

Cilantro - 2 tbspns, chopped

Chili Powder - 1/2 tsp

Chat Masala - 1/4 tsp

Salt - as per taste

Method:

Cook the raw peanuts in the pressure cooker. Mix the cooked peanuts and chopped veggies. Mix chili powder, chat masala and salt. Garnish with cilantro.

Inspired from Meera Sriram

Papad Tacos with Corn Salsa

Serves 2-3
Inspired from Nita Mehta
Ingredients:
4 medium sized papads (roasting ones) - cut each into 4 pieces with a pair of scissors

Salsa - I used Corn Salsa(any type of salsa) - Recipe below

Lettuce leaves - a few, washed, pat-dried and torn into 2” pieces

Vegetables:
Cucumber - 1/4 cup finely chopped
Cabbage - 1/4 cup finely chopped

Carrot  - 1/4 cup grated

Capsicum - 1/4 cup chopped finely

Salt - 1/4 tsp or to taste
Pepper - 1/2 tsp or to taste

Sour Cream:

Sour Cream - 1/4 cup or Fresh thick curd - 1/2 cup (100 gm) hang for 30 minutes in a muslin cloth

Salt - a pinch or to taste
Pepper - a pinch or to taste

Coriander leaves - 1 tbspn chopped
Green chili -  1/2, deseeded and chopped

Method:

Mix all the ingredients of sour cream.

Roast each piece of papad. Immediately fold the hot papad on the edges to make a cone shape. Leave aside to cool and to become crisp. You can do this well in advance and store in an air tight tin.

Mix the vegetables with sour cream to make salad. Check for the salt and pepper. Keep in a separate bowl. Put the salsa in another bowl.

At serving time, place a lettuce leaf on the papad, fill it with some salad, top with salsa. Serve immediately.

CORN SALSA:

Frozen sweet yellow corn - 1cup, defrosted and drained

Jalapenos - 1 medium sized, deseeded and chopped (leave in some seeds for more heat if desired)

Red onion - 1 tbspn, finely chopped

Fresh cilantro - 1 tbspn, finely chopped

Lime Juice - 1 tsp

Salt - to taste

Pepper - to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Season with additional salt and pepper if desired. Add more cilantro, jalapeno or lime according to your tastes!

Peanut, Mango and Cucumber Salad

Ingredients: 

2 cups peanut, skinned and lightly toasted

2 cups green raw mango, chopped

1 large cucumber with little or no seeds, chopped

3 tablespoon chopped red onion

2 hot green chili pepper, thinly sliced

For dressing: (adjust proportions of dressing to suit your taste)

2 tablespoon sesame oil

4 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed

2 teaspoon red chili pepper/paprika (or to taste)

salt to taste

any of your favorite herb for flavor, if you wish to use

Method:

Use the mango which had ripened lightly so they were light yellow and sweet and tart at the same time. If you are using raw mangoes which are all green, the salad will be more on the tart side and miss the little hint of sweet. 

In a large skillet, lay the peanuts in one layer and toast them lightly on low to medium heat until you see light brown spots on them. Cool and rub between kitchen towels to remove the skin. Cool the nuts. Place the cooled nuts in a ziploc plastic bag or between kitchen towels and using a rolling pin crush them coarsely. It is okay if some are still whole and halved.

Combine raw mango, cucumber, pepper and onions and toss; let it sit for about an hour. Drain if they release any liquid. Chill the mix.

Whisk the oil, lime juice, chili powder, salt, cumin and herbs.

Add the crushed peanuts, toss and combine the whisked dressing. Let it sit for about 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Serve as a salsa with chips or pappad or add some rice puffs(pori) and serve as a beach sundal.

Serves: 4-6

Bean and Pumpkin Salad

Ingredients:

1 onion chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped

4 tomatoes chopped

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 can white kidney beans

1 can sweet corn drained

2 cups/250 g pumpkin, cut into chunks and parboiled

2 tbsp basil chopped

a little water/milk mix

oil

salt and pepper

Method:

Saute the onion in a pan and when it is soft, add the garlic and the tomatoes, paprika and cumin seeds. Cook for a few minute. Next put the beans and sweet corn into the pan. When these are warmed through, add the parboiled pumpkin pieces and add a little water. Stir well.

Cook for 5 minutes or until everything is soft. Then lightly mash the ingredients with the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher. Season, and add half of the basil, stir. Add more liquid as required to get the consistency.

Cook over a low heat and when hot scatter the basil on top.

Serves 4-6

Tip of the day: Avoiding over-spilling milk when boiling : Before pouring milk into a pot for boiling, rub butter along the top edge and inside lip of the pot. When the milk foams up, it will stop over spilling when it hits the butter.