Summer specials

By ALPA SHAH

Its summertime, but with the vagaries of weather lately, a hot day can turn chilly within the hour. So here are some recipes - all vegetarian - to beat the heat and chase away the chills, whatever the weather.

Watermelon Salad with Ginger Dressing

2 cups watermelon cubes

1 cup pineapple cubes (fresh or canned)

1 cup cooked sweet corn kernels

1 cup cucumber cubes

2 tbsp grated carrots for garnish

For dressing

½ tsp grated ginger

2 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp low fat yoghurt

1 tbsp milk powder

Salt to taste

Combine the watermelon, pineapple, corn, cucumber and salt together in a serving bowl and mix well. Refrigerate to chill.

To make the ginger dressing, combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and whisk well. Refrigerate to chill.

Just before serving pour the ginger dressing over it and toss gently. Serve immediately garnished with carrots.

Cabbage and Apple Salad

2 cups shredded cabbage

2 tbsp chopped celery

2 cups apple cubes

Salt to taste

For dill dressing

1 tbsp chopped dill leaves

¼ cup low fat yoghurt (hung)

2 tsp low fat milk

½ tsp sugar

Salt to taste

For dill dressing, combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and whisk well.

Refrigerate to chill.

Immerse the cabbage and celery in a bowl full of ice-cold water for half an hour. This will make them crisp. Drain and add apple, salt and the dill dressing. Toss gently and serve immediately.

(Handy tip: cut apple cubes just before adding the dressing or they may turn dark).

Vegetable skewers

½ cup blanched baby corn, cut into 13mm pieces

½ capsicum cubes

½ cup deseeded and cubed tomatoes

½ cup paneer (low fat preferred)

½ cup onion cubes

For marinade

¾ cup yoghurt

1 tsp chilli powder

¼ turmeric powder

½ tsp ginger paste

1 tsp garlic paste

½ tsp besan (chickpea flour)

Tom Yum Soup

For vegetable stock/soup base

½ cup roughly chopped cabbage

½ cup roughly chopped carrots

2 tbspn chopped celery

2 tbspn chopped spring onions

3 to 4 cauliflower florets

3-4 cloves (laung)

25mm (1” stick) cinnamon

1 bayleaf

Salt to taste

½ tsp dried fenugreek leaves roasted and crushed

¼ tsp ajwain or oregano roasted and crushed.

Salt to taste.

Combine the babycorn, capsicum, tomatoes, paneer, onions and add the prepared marinade in large bowl and mix well. Refrigerate to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Heat a non-stick pan on medium flame and when hot, dry roast the marinated vegetables on it for 15-20 minutes or till they turn slightly brown in colour. Remove from pan and pierce a piece of baby corn, capsicum, tomato, paneer and onion side by side on a skewer. Repeat with the remaining vegetables to make more skewers.

Serve hot.

Quesadillas

For tortillas

1 cup whole wheat flour (healthy version by replacing white flour with wheat)

¼ cup low fat milk

Salt to taste

Stuffing

½ cup grated paneer

½ cup cooked yellow sweet corn kernels

1 green chilli, finely chopped

1 tomato, chopped & without pulp

Salt to taste

To make the tortillas, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and knead to a soft, smooth dough by adding enough water. Knead the dough well and keep for half an

For soup

1 green chilli cut lengthwise

3 fresh mushrooms, thickly slices

½ cup carrot strips

½ cup chopped spring onions

4-5 paneer or tofu cubes

10-12 cauliflower florets, blanched

2 tbsp finely chopped lemon grass

Salt to taste

1 tsp lemon juice

2 tbsp chillies in vinegar to serve

To make vegetable stock, boil all the ingredients in 4 cups of water on a hour. Knead again. Divide into 6 equal parts and roll out each portion roughly into a (6” size) tortilla with the help of little flour. Cook lightly on a non-stick pan and keep aside.

Mix the stuffing ingredients together. When ready to serve, place a tortilla on flat, dry surface and spread a little stuffing on it. Place another tortilla on top and press well so that they stick. Repeat with remaining tortillas and stuffing, to make quesadillas. Cook on a medium flame on non stick pan (tava) on both sides until crisp. Cut into 25mm/1” pieces and serve immediately.

Green Cool Salad with Basil Dressing

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 tsp chopped celery

1 cup green grapes, cut into halves

½ cup cucumber cubes

For dressing

¼ cup thick hung low fat curds

1 tbsp low fat cream/milk

½ tsp lemon juice

½ tsp finely chopped lemon rind

1tbsp chopped basil

2 tbsp grated apples

A pinch of sugar

A pinch of mustard

Salt and freshly crushed pepper to taste

To prepare dressing, combine all the ingredients together into a bowl till smooth and refrigerate to chill.

Put the cabbage and celery into ice-cold water for half n hour. Drain, wrap in a medium flame for 15 to 20 mins, till the liquid reduces to about 3 cups. Allow the vegetables to settle at the bottom of the vessel and drain out the stock. Discard the vegetables. Use stock as required. muslin cloth and refrigerate till ready to serve

To make the soup, boil the prepared vegetable stock in a deep vessel. Add green chillies, mushrooms, carrots, spring onions, paneer, cauliflower, lemon grass and salt, and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add lemon juice and mix well. Serve hot with chillies in vinegar.

Combine the grapes and cucumber in a bowl containing grapes and cucumber Sprinkle salt over it, add the dressing and toss well.

Serve immediately.

Zero Oil Potato Wafers with Mango Salsa

3 large potatoes, peeled Salt and chilli powder to taste

For mango salsa (makes apporx 1¼ cup)

½ cup chopped ripe mangoes

½ cup chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp chopped celery

2 tbsp chopped spring onion whites

1 tbsp chopped capsicum

½ tsp dry red chilli flakes

Salt to taste

Cut the potatoes into about 4 mm thick slices

Wash in cold water and dry thoroughly Arrange the slices in the baking tray in a single layer

Bake in a pre heated oven at 150 degrees for 15 minutes or till crisp. Keep aside.

To prepare salsa, mix the mangoes and tomatoes together in a bowl and lightly mash them with the back of the spoon. Add the remaining ingredients mix well and let them marinate for at lest one hour in the refrigerator.

To serve, arrange the mango salsa in the centre of a platter surrounded with zero oil potato wafers. Serve immediately.

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