Healthy, Low Calorie Salads with Cool Cucumber
Low Fat Salad Recipes from Asia that are Cool, Healthy and Different
Apr 9, 2009
If you’re getting tired of creamy salads and heavy dips, try out these simple, toss-together salads that are an intrinsic part of traditional Indian meals, and discover how well they can add a piquant touch to your table.
Tangy Cucumber and Lentil Salad
Popular in South Indian households, this light salad is great for summer. You will need:
- Diced cucumber, about two cups
- Half a cup of raw split green gram, husked, soaked till soft but crunchy
- Juice of one lemon
- Green chilly, chopped
- Coriander, chopped
- Coconut scrapings
- Raw mango, diced, if you can get your hands on some, would add greatly to the flavour
- Salt to taste
Toss them all together and your salad is ready. Refrigerate and serve.
Crunchy Cucumber and Peanut Salad
Part of traditional Marathi cuisine, this salad brings together similar ingredients as the salad above for a very different taste. You will need:
- Diced cucumber, about two cups
- A cup of shelled, roasted peanut, skinned and powdered coarsely
- Coconut scrapings, enough to sprinkle over
- Juice of one lemon
- Green chilly, chopped
- Coriander, chopped
- Salt to taste
Toss the ingredients together, refrigerate and serve.
Salad Vegetable and Yogurt Combinations
Another popular version of the salad in Indian kitchens is the combination of salad vegetables with yogurt, popularized by the North Indian raitha. A South Indian variant uses cucumber instead of the onion in raitha, and makes a cool, refreshing and healthy salad.
Cucumber and Yogurt Dip
A versatile dish, this can be made liquid or like a dip to suit needs and preferences. While the traditional South Indian preparation is typically eaten with rice, it is often used as a dip today. You will need:
- Diced cucumber, about two cups
- About two cups of thick, creamy yogurt
- Green chilly, chopped
- Coriander, chopped
- Grated or finely chopped ginger, after it is cleaned and the skin is removed
- Salt to taste
- Light garnish with sputtered mustard and split, husked Bengal gram.
Blend together, ensuring the yogurt is smooth and creamy. Sprinkle chopped coriander on top, refrigerate and serve.
Cucumber and Yogurt Dip with Mustard Paste
An interesting variant of the cucumber and yogurt dip, this is a typical South Indian preparation that is traditionally eaten with rice. As a thick dip, it can be quite versatile. For lovers of mustard, the combination of yogurt and mustard paste is unusual and piquant. You will need:
- Diced cucumber, about two cups
- About two cups of thick, creamy yogurt
- Raw mustard, one dried red chilly, coconut, all ground together in a paste ( ready made table mustard paste is a good substitute)
- Coriander, chopped
- Salt to taste
- Light garnish with sputtered mustard and split, husked black gram.
Blend together, ensuring the yogurt is smooth and creamy. Sprinkle chopped coriander on top, refrigerate and serve.
These dishes from traditional Indian cuisines are great for digestion, light and cool, and make a great addition to any table.
Related Reading
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