CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF DR KAVIRAJ KHIALANI
A salad technically may be described as a usually cold dish consisting of vegetables, as lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, covered with a dressing and sometimes containing seafood, meat, eggs or simply vegan or vegetarian as well. While some classify salads on the basis of any of various usually cold dishes: such as raw greens (such as lettuce) often combined with other vegetables and toppings and served especially with dressing, small pieces of food (such as pasta, meat, fruit, or vegetables) usually mixed with a dressing (such as mayonnaise) or set in gelatin.
Talking about the basic five types of salads salad, any of a wide variety of dishes that fall into the following principal categories: green salads; vegetable salads; salads of pasta, legumes, or grains; mixed salads incorporating meat, poultry, or seafood; and fruit salads. Today’s definition of salad is a variety of cold dishes that include small pieces of food (such as pasta, meat, fruit, or vegetables) mixed with a dressing or mayonnaise. To put it simply, if it’s dressed you can feel confident calling it a salad!
Lettuce alone is not a salad, even chopped. Embellish it with some cherry tomatoes, diced red onion, bacon bits, blue cheese dressing and a healthy grind of black pepper and you’ll have a salad. Yet there’s another definition that’s relevant to the “is potato salad a salad” debate. In a broader sense, a salad is defined as a dish made up of cut meat, seafood, eggs, pasta, or fruit that’s mixed with a dressing and served cold. Hence potato salad, chicken salad, and pasta salad. To list a few more examples starting up with macaroni, Macaroni salad is a type of pasta salad, served cold made with cooked elbow macaroni and usually prepared with mayonnaise. Much like potato salad or coleslaw in its use, it is often served as a side dish to barbecue, fried chicken, or other picnic style dishes. While the list of vegetables that can go into a salad are vast and varied. The list of salad vegetables includes broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, endive, escarole, green onions, lettuce, mushrooms, peas, bell peppers, chili peppers, radishes, romaine, spinach and tomatoes. The five basic elements to a perfect salad: greens, sweetness, creaminess, crunchiness, and dressing.
Here are a few simple yet scrumptiously designed summer salad recipes for our readers:
QUICK FIX TOSSED SUMMER SALAD
Ingredients
For the base of the salad
Assorted lettuce leaves- 1 cup
For the body of the salad
Cooked quinoa- 1 cup
Cooked beans-1/2 cup
Cooked beans/ steamed sprouts-1/4 cup
Cucumber-1/2 diced
Yellow/ red/green capsicums-1/4 cup strips
Tomatoes-1/2 cup diced
Shallots- 4-5 no peeled and halved
For the dressing of the salad
Oil/ olive oil-3- 4 tbsp.
Lime juice- 2-3 tbsp.
Honey-1-2 tsp
Ginger juice-2 tsp
Capsico sauce-1 tsp
Tomato ketchup-1-2 tbsp.
Mint leaves- 8-10 no
Salt and pepper to taste
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
Orange segments- ½ cup
For the garnish of the salad
Assorted nuts/ seeds/ micro-greens
Feta cheese-1/2 cup crumbled.
Roasted crushed peanuts
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the salad recipe as listed.
- Place the assorted lettuce leaves in chilled water until used.
- Prepare the dressing by combining all in a mixing bowl and giving it a nice mix or shake in a jar.
- Prepare all the components of the body and add them into the dressing, give it a nice toss and check for seasonings.
- Drain out the leaves, place them pat dried on a serving salad plate and top with the prepared tossed salad and garnish appropriately and serve immediately.
BERRY SUMMER RELISH SALAD
Ingredients
For the base of the salad
Assorted lettuce leaves -1 cup
For the body of the salad
Assorted berries -1 cup
Cucmber-1/2 cup diced
Red radish-1/2 cup sliced
White radish-1/2 cup sliced
Tomatoes- 4-5 no cherry
Avocado- 1 ripe, peeled and cubed
For the dressing of the salad
Fresh tender coconut- ¼ cup malai
Salt and pepper to taste
Mustard paste-1/2 tsp
Fresh basil leaves- 5-6 no
Olive oil-2-3 tsp
Mixed herbs-1/ 4 tsp
Chili flakes-1/4 tsp
Capsico sauce- few drops
Honey-1-2 tsp
Sugar-1/2 tsp
For the garnish of the salad
Assorted nuts/ seeds/ herbs for garnish
Method
- Prepare all the components of the salad recipe as listed above.
- Place the lettuce leaves in chilled water until used.
- Prepare all ingredients for the body of the salad and keep handy.
- Shake up all the ingredients into a mixing jar/ bowl.
- Drain out the lettuce leaves from the water, pat dry them and place them on a serving salad plate.
- Just before dishing out, toss the body of the salad with the dressing and check for seasonings, tart flavor in the salad and adjust the same accordingly.
- Plate up the salad recipe and garnish it appropriately and serve it immediately.
PICK – CHOOSE AND TOSS SALAD
Ingredients
For the base of the salad
Assorted lettuce leaves- 1 cup
For the body of the salad
Carrots-1/2 cup blanched
Potato wedges- boiled and tossed-1/2 cup
Spinach leaves- 1 cup blanched
French beans- 4-5 cut, blanched
Green peas-1/2 cup boiled
Snowpeas-1 cup blanched
Sprouts-1/2 cup steamed
Zucchini- ½ cup cubed, blanched
Sweet corn-1/2 cup boiled/roasted
For the dressing of the salad
Oil/ olive oil-2-3 tbsp.
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp
Chili flakes-1/2 tsp
White vinegar-1-2 tsp
Honey-1 -2 tsp
Date puree-1/4 cup
Capsico sauce-1/2 tsp
Peanut butter-1-2 tbsp.
Warm water-2-3 tbsp.
Assorted nuts/seeds-1-2 tsp
For the garnish of the salad
Avocado-1 ripe, peeled, cut into wedges
Flaxseeds/ sunflower seeds-1-2 tsp
Fresh mint/ coriander/ parsley-2-3 tbsp.
Method
- Prepare all the components of the salad and keep ready.
- Work on the body and dressing of the salad and keep things ready by boiling/ blanching/cutting chopping etc.
- In a jar combine together the ingredients for the dressing and shake it all well.
- Place the lettuce leaves in chilled water and allow to freshen up a little.
- Just before serving, pat dry the lettuce leaves, and place the body into the dressing and give it all a nice toss and check for seasonings.
- drain off the excess water from the lettuce leaves, pat dry and place on the serving plate, portion out the tossed salad as well on the top and garnish appropriately.
SUNRISE SPECIAL SUMMER SALAD
Ingredients
For the base of the salad
Assorted lettuce leaves- 1 cup
For the body of the salad
Guava-1 cup cubes
Cucumber-1/2 cup cubes
Yellow capsicum-1/2 cubed
Cherry tomatoes- 3-4 cut 1 x 2
Orange segments-1 cup
Avocado-1 ripe, peeled and cubed
Boiled beetroot-1/2 cup cubed
For the dressing of the salad
Olive oil-2-3 tbsp.
Mustard paste-1 tsp
Mixed herbs- ½ tsp
Lime juice- 2-3 tsp
Mint leaves- 8-10 no
Roasted crushed cumin- ½ tsp
Salt and pepper to taste
Mango pickle masala- 1 tsp
For the garnish of the salad
Assorted grapes/ small cut fruits
Assorted herbs/ micro-greens- 8-10 no
Roasted nuts/ shredded tender coconut
Method
- Prepare all the components for the salad recipe as listed.
- Place the lettuce leaves in cold water until used. Pat dry the leaves just before serving and place them onto a serving plate.
- In a jar/ mixing bowl combine together the ingredients for the dressing and give it a nice mix/shake
- Just before serving, drain off the water from the iceberg lettuce or so and place them onto a serving plate.
- Toss the body and dressing of the salad together and place it on a bed of crispy lettuce leaves.
BEAN AND VEGGIE TOSS SALAD
Ingredients
For the base of the salad
Assorted lettuce/ iceberg lettuce- 1 cup
For the body of the salad
Boiled chickpeas-1 cup
Boiled assorted pulses-1/2 cup
Carrot cubes-1/2 cup
Cucumber cubes-1/2 cup
White radish cubes-1/2 cup
Saute mushrooms-1/4 cup cut 1 x 4
Babycorn-3-4 no, sliced and blanched
Boiled eggs- 2-3 no, sliced
Baked beans in tomato sauce-1/2 tin
For the dressing of the salad
Olive oil-2-3 tbsp.
Salt and pepper to taste
Chaat masala-1/2 tsp
Lime juice-2-3 tsp
Ginger juice-1 tsp
Mustard paste-1/2 tsp
Cream cheese-1-2 tsp
Mayonnaise-1/4 cup
Chopped parsley-1 tsp
For the garnish of the salad
Assorted micro greens-1/2 cup
Mint and parsley-1-2 tbsp.
Assorted seeds-1/2 no
Fresh herbs-1/2 cup
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients as per the list above.
- Pre-cook the veggies a little when they are tough to fasten the tossing process.
- In a mixing bowl add in the ingredients for the dressing and give it a nice toss.
- Drain off the excess liquid from the lettuce leaves and pat dry, arrange them on a serving plate.
- Portion out the salad and drizzle little more dressing on top and serve the salad with appropriate garnishes.
HERBED CHEESY POTATO SALAD
Ingredients
For the base of the salad
Assorted lettuce leaves 1 cup
For the body of the salad:
Boiled potatoes- 250 gms, peeled, cut
Sweet potato-1/2 cup cubes
Salt and pepper to taste
Celery-1/2 cup cut
White radish-1/2 cup cut
Sliced chicken sausages- ½ cup
Sliced salami-1/2 cup
Bacon- ½ cup saute first and use.
For the dressing of the salad
Mayonnaise-1/2 cup
Cream cheese-2-3 tbsp.
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs-1/2 tsp chopped
Lime juice-2 tsp
Parsley-2-3 tsp chopped
For the garnish of the salad
Cherry tomatoes- 3-4 no cut 1 x 2
Assorted fresh herbs-2-3 tbsp.
Roasted/ crushed peanuts/ cashews- 2-3 tsp
Micro-greens- ½ cup for garnish.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the salad and its components as listed.
- Place the assorted lettuce leaves in water and steep them until used.
- In a mixing bowl, combine together the ingredients for the dressing into a bowl, mix well and adjust seasonings as per taste.
- Now add in the body of the salad and toss it well into the dressing. garnish the veggies appropriately and get ready to dish out the yummy salads.
- Arrange the lettuce leaves on a plate, drain excess water and pat dry the fish. Plate up the body and dressing on the base and look for eye appeal/colors which are always soothing can be used.
- Garnish the salad appropriately using cheese shavings nuts/ seeds/ micro greens etc and serve it chilled.
Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on ColorsTV and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.
He can be contacted at twitter: @kaviraj_chef, Mobile: 91 9820939336.
