Salubrious salads for the summer

Salubrious salads for the summer

May 2023

What better way to cool and nourish  yourself than to seize a salad during  these sultry days, says Naini Setalvad 

In summer, salads are your  best friends. Being high  in water and antioxidants,  salads cool and rehydrate your body while also ridding it of  toxins that collect due to the  intense heat. Salads are ideal  for summer since they not  only provide vital nutrients  but are easy to digest; you stay  light and energetic the whole  day through. So, this summer,  give yourself the perfect detox program by nourishing your body with salads every day. 

From sides and accompaniments to main cours es and even desserts, salads are extremely versa tile. Experiment with local vegetables, herbs, and  dressings to beat boredom. As a rule, you want to  aim for as many colours as you can. I always tell  my clients to make their plate look like a rainbow.  Salads that have many hues are not only visually  pleasing but also brimming with essential vita mins and minerals. 

So, what are some key ingredients?  

Think crisp cucumbers, plump  tomatoes, all kinds of green lettuce, red, yellow and green peppers, and onions.  

Don’t forget that your regular vegetables too can be  steamed and added for extra flavour and punch. So don’t hesitate to throw in  

some beets, cauliflower and, yes, even  pumpkin. While many people think pumpkin has mere  decorative value, few know that it  is an excellent salad ingredient, especially when paired with some salad  leaves, garlic, and basil. 

Speaking of basil, don’t forget to add a few fresh  sprigs of herbs to your salads too. They go a long  way not only nutritionally but also in terms of  adding intense flavour. Basil, parsley, thyme, rose 

mary, mint, and our familiar coriander all work  brilliantly to cool and nourish the body. While nuts and seeds are traditionally heat-gener ating foods, you can add a pinch of them to your  salads for some crunch and healthy fat. You don’t need a whole lot to jazz up your salad; just a few  crushed pieces are more than enough. 

Fruits too add extra crunch, body, and colour to your salad plate. Although I do not recommend  mixing fruits with a meal, those that aid digestion,  such as papaya, pineapple, and pomegranate, are  a good choice. 

Also, the delicately sweet balsamic vinegar, mixed  with or without some olive oil, can be used as a  base for virtually any salad. And don’t forget that  

there are a host of mustard varieties from  stone ground, Dijon, French, and  

English to keep your salads  tart and tasty. While there  are many readymade salad dressings in the market, you are better off  making your own from  

scratch, especially  since it hardly takes  

any time (just a matter of putting all the ingredients in a bottle and  shaking it up) and you  don’t land up consuming unnecessary, harmful preservatives and additives. 

A word of caution though to all you salad  lovers out there. Don’t always think salad buffets  or restaurant salads are healthy. They can often  be doused in fat, cholesterol, and other unhealthy  ingredients such as cream, hydrogenated vegeta 

ble oil, and deep-fried croutons. So remember to  always ask for the dressing on the side. 

For a nice main dish, sauté some vegetables with  tofu if you like, and wrap this mixture in lettuce  leaves and serve this summer ‘sandwich’ to all your friends. 

I am sharing with you some delicious Indian salad  recipes that are easy to make and made with in gredients sourced in summer.

Food 41 

PINEAPPLE SALAD 

Ingredients  

200 gm pineapple, finely chopped 

¾ cup mint leaves, finely chopped 

¼ cup desiccated coconut 

1 green chilli, thinly sliced 

Salt and lemon to taste 

Method 

1. Mix pineapple, green chilli, coconut,  

mint leaves, salt, and lemon. 

2. Garnish with coriander and serve. 

Recipe 

RAW MANGO SALAD 

Ingredients  

3 cups green mango, peeled, seeded, and  

grated 

5 cloves garlic 

3 small red chillies 

½ cup green beans, cut into 1 ½ inches in  

length and balanced 

3 tbsp lemon juice 

3 tbsp crushed and roasted peanuts 

1 tbsp light soy sauce 

2 tbsp tamarind juice 

1 tsp salt 

1 medium tomato 

Method 

1. In a mortar, lightly pound the garlic and  

chillies. 

2. Turn this out in a large bowl, add the  

grated green mango, and mix thoroughly. 

3. Add the peanuts, tomato, green beans,  

salt, lemon juice, soy sauce, 

and tamarind juice. 

4. Mix thoroughly and serve. 42 LifePositive | MAY 2023

Use the best quality pineapple in the pineapple salad 

INDIAN TOSSED SALAD 

Ingredients  

2 cucumbers, chopped 

1 onion, chopped 

3–4 tomatoes, chopped 

1 steamed potato, chopped 

1 tbsp grated coconut 

2 tbsp roasted and roughly crushed  

peanuts 

1–2 tbsp lime juice 

1 tbsp coriander (optional) 

Rock salt to taste 

Method 

Mix and toss to combine all the ingre 

dients thoroughly. 

TINDOLA SAMBHARYU 

Ingredients  

100 gm ivy gourd (tindola), chopped long 

50 gm methia masala (red chilli with  

crushed mustard) 

Salt and lemon to taste 

Method 

Wash and chop the tindola length-wise. 

2. Sprinkle methia masala, salt, and lemon. 

3. Mix well and allow it to marinate for 1–2  

hours. 

4. Serve. 

Naini Setalvad is a nutritionist, specialising in lifestyle and immunity disorders. Her foundation, Health For You, throws light  on healthy food habits. Contact her at healthforyou@nainisetalvad. com