You can't get through summer without salad

Chlorophyll detoxifies the bloodstream better than anything else you could eat. Melissa D'costa gets food consultant Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal to share easy salad recipes

Chlorophyll detoxifies the bloodstream better than anything else you could eat. Melissa D'costa gets food consultant Rushina Munshaw-Ghildiyal to share easy salad recipes

Caramelised Mango and Rocket Salad

For dressing

1 tsp chilli flakes
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt

For the Salad
300g rocket leaves torn to bite size
2 large mangoes, chilled

A variation of the Rocket Salad to accommodate the fruit of the season

Serves 4, Time 10 mins

For garnish
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1 tbsp cashew nuts, toasted and chopped

Method

Just before you are ready to serve the salad, slice off the cheeks (the plump sides) of the chilled mangoes. Leave the remaining part of the mango aside.

Heat a pan, make it hot, add a little oil to coat the base and allow it to become very hot. Now, place the reserved cheeks of mango flesh side down on the hot pan for exactly 1 minute.

Be careful, the aim is to caramelize the surface of the slice but have the inside just warm. When done place each mango slice on a plate, top with a handful of Rocket and drizzle with dressing.

Garnish with toasted cashew nuts and serve.

Variation Substitute Mangoes with 1 cup of strawberries.

Wasabi cucumber Salad

Serves 2-4, time 10 mins

Ingredient

2 cups cucumber, diced fine
1/4 sheet Nori Seaweed
1/2 tsp Wasabi olive oilu00a0
1/2 tspu00a0
Salt to taste
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Method

Place cucumbers in a colander, sprinkle with a little salt and leave to drain. Meanwhile cut Nori into slivers. Using your hands, squeeze handfuls of cucumber to remove juice and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add Wasabi olive oil and Nori, mix well and serve chilled.

3 Bean Tossed Salad

Serves 3, Time 20 mins
1/3 cup Cranberry or other fruity dressing
1 cup cooked pasta shells
1/3 cup smoked cheese
1 cup ready-to-eat beans
1 cup dry fruit
2-3 jalapenos diced fine
1 box Trikaya ready mix salad

Method

In a large bowl combine dressing with cheese, beans, jalapenos, dry fruit and mix well. Add Salad mix and toss thoroughly. Serve hot or cold.

Citrus Scented Spicy Glass Noodle Salad

Inspired by the Vietnamese glass noodle salad, this fragrant salad makes a pretty starter or a great meal in one with shavings of tofu, cooked chicken or prawns added to make it a full meal. Serves 4-6, Time 30 mins

For the dressing

1-2 fresh red or green chilies, sliced fine on the diagonal
4 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp fish sauce or Oyster sauce from Blue Elephant or Real Thai
1 tbsp chilli oil from Lee Kum Kee
1 orange, zest and juice
1 tsp honey
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad

330 g dried mung bean noodles
6 cups stock
1 pkt bean sprouts, tops and tails removed
1 head of iceberg lettuce, finely shredded
1 cup mixed fresh herbs (basil, mint and coriander)
1 cup spring onions finely sliced
1 cup toasted sesame

Method

Heat stock to boiling, reduce to simmer. Holding the entire mass of mung bean with one hand, dip half into hot stock and allow to soften, using clean kitchen scissors cut 3- or 4-inch lengths and allow to drop into the stock. Repeat this with the remaining mass of noodles.

Allow to cook until noodles are plump and glasslike (2 to 4 minutes). Drain in a colander; rinse once with cold water and place in large mixing bowl.

Add the dressing, mix well and leave to chill in refrigerator. Cut lettuce and herbs using the chiffonade technique and chill. When ready to serve add sprouts, lettuce and herbs and toss well again. Garnish with the toasted sesame seed and serve.
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Chiffonade is a cutting technique that you can use to cut up any flat leafy food. It works great on things that you are going to eat fresh, like basil and lettuce and helps you cut uniform, curly, strips of food quickly and elegantly; stack leaves with larger leaves at the bottom and roll as tight as possible. Hold with one hand and slice into thin slices.

Mixed Mushroom and Wilted Spinach Salad with Rice Noodles

Serves 4-6 people, Time: 30 minutes

For the salad

250 gms spinach, chopped
300 gms of dried assorted mushroom (shitake, oyster dried mushrooms)
200 gms of fresh button mushrooms
1/2 cup mint and basil, finely chopped
1/2 pkt of glass noodles or rice noodlesu00a0
For the dressing
1/3 cup of roasted sesame oil
1/3 cup black pepper sauce
1/3 cup oyster sauce or 1 1/2 tbsp of soya sauce
1tbsp toasted sesame seeds

Method

Boil water and add glass noodles. Cook till plump and drain water. Boil water and soak dried mushrooms and keep aside. Slice button mushrooms.
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In a microwave or a steamer layer the spinach and sliced button mushrooms and keep it untill spinach is bright green for about 1 to 3 minutes and mushrooms are cooked. Squeeze dried mushrooms, slice fine and microwave for 2 minutes, and add 1tsp of sesame oil.

In a large bowl combine remaining sesame oil, soya/oyster sauce and pepper sauce, and mix well. Add sesame oil to the dry mushrooms and mix taking handfuls of the steamed mushrooms and spinach. Squeeze to remove excess moisture and add to the bowl.
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Toss everything well. Add noodles and toss again. Taste seasonsing and then transfer all of it in a serving bowl and serve.

Tips to remember while tossing up a salad

In summer it's best to use a low-cal or vinegar-based dressing. You can try using lemon, olive oil and salt and pepper.

Instead of salt use goat cheese as an alternative as it's rich in proteins.

Don't cut veggies and keep them outside for long. They lose their nutrients.

You can cut and keep carrot and cucumber salad sticks in the fridge, and use them to prepare a quick salad.
Always add the dressing just before you are ready to serve.