Mango Pomegranate & Tender Coconut Salsa- How to make easy Salsa Recipe for Summer Picnic

Every summer has  a  story. With the mercury rising here, it brings with it sweet memories of my childhood, when we would wait for the summer vacation to start so that we can visit our grandparents home. Though I never had a chance to meet either of them as they had passed away before I was born, but the stories I heard from my mom about them have still in my memories. Holidays at that time would mean loads and loads of mangoes, coconut water and sugarcane juice and playing in the huge backyard.

Back to present, even some years back, the weather here is so pleasant that we would drive to the nearby beaches, enjoys some great food and come back by evening. By the way, let me tell you, the sunset is awesome, we would never feel like coming back from there. But now a days the soaring heat and studies are keeping us most of the time indoors. 

There is something exciting about a picnic, which nobody can deny. We usually go for winter picnics where the food is lavishly cooked and there is no packed food concept. But Summer picnics occur at the height of the fresh fruit and vegetable season. And the more colorful produce you add to your menu, the healthier the meal could be. So for this week’s theme of #GetSetPicnic of Foodie Monday Bloghop, I decided to make the most use of the bounty of the season and fill our picnic basket with luscious summer produce to make the most loved mango Salsa with pomegranate and tender account.

I have always been attracted to try this mango salsa but somehow it could not reach my blog.  I am a bit crazy as far as mangoes are concerned and love eating and buying them, to top it all, my parents send me my share of mangoes from home every year without fail. So I am always spoilt for choices. I have already tried the Aam Panna with the raw mangoes, Sweet & Sour Mango pickle with raw shredded magoes as condiment, Raw mango Rice Mango, baked Mango yogurtand Salsa was one of the mandates to try last year. I love the idea of mixing up the sweet, salty and spicy flavours of summer fruits and  cannot wait to taste the texture that the soft pulpy mango, tender coconut  and the crunchy onions and pomegranate  would bring together. Do try this recipe before the mango season is officially over.

Salsas  always go well with a platter of Chips, Tortillas and even with Papads khakras, which are a slightly healthier version when compared to chips. I prefer the Mango salsa the most for it’s perfect burst of flavors with the sweetness of mangoes which is balanced with the acidity from lemon and the heat from the chillies but you can make various salsa varieties with fruits and vegetables during their respective seasons. I have used the 'Banginapally' variety of mango which is flooding the local market now to prepare my mango salsa, but you can use any variety of mango to make this .

Cuisine: Mexican 

Prep time:15 mins

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large ripe mangoes, peeled, diced
• 1 cucumber dices
• ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
• flesh of 1 tender coconut cut in one inch strips
• ½ cup red onion, chopped
• ¼ cup coriander leaves chopped
• 1 chilli  finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lime
• Black salt to taste

  

Let’s learn how to make this Mango Salsa:

• Dice the mangoes and cucumber and keep aside. Deseed the pomegranate and take out the flesh of the tender coconut.

• In a large bowl, combine diced mangoes, cucumber, chopped onions,pomegranate seeds, tender coconut, chopped chilies and chopped coriander leaves.Add lime juice and salt to taste. Mix well.

• Let this sit for 10-15 mins for flavors to mingle together.Serve it with papads or chips.

• For outdoors, scoop them in paper cups and serve it with scoop type chips or papads .

Go ahead enjoy your Summer with so much of  fun and have this delicious Mango salsa to complement the lovely weather.

CHILLED MELON BALLS SALAD

“Summer Is Here, Let’s Give it a Big Cheer!”Yesterday was a hottest day and the sun was on full swing. Due to drastic change in weather, I felt little tired. Keeping the weather in mind, I thought of doing something with fruits.Watermelon is a summer fruit, It has plenty of Water and are great way to hydrate. The nature of watermelons is generally rather chilling and contains a great deal of moisture. Did you know that watermelons are 92% water. This salad is quite ideal for weight watchers as it is a good source of potassium, iron and many traces of minerals also. 

 

Nothing surpasses the fragrant, sweet flavor of a ripe melon, but finding a good one can be tricky. Most melons are at their best from early summer. For me, summertime is synonymous with light and refreshing dishes – and this Melon Balls with pepper and lime dressing fits the bill perfectly.  I have  made a simple fruit salad of watermelon, and cut the melon into balls using a melon scooper – then made it so much deliciously better by adding our homemade lime and pepper dressing!

There's nothing better than biting into a juicy piece of fresh watermelon on a hot, summer day. You can incorporated the sweet flavors of this luscious melon into a variety of drinks, salsas, salads, and more that are perfect for any warm-weather gathering also.

Recipe Type: Salad

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Serves:2

Ingredients:

• 1/2 watermelon
• 11/2 teaspoon of lemon juice
• 3 to 4 black peppercorns, crushed
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
• Black Salt to taste
• Melon Scooper

Let's learn How to make this salad:

• Using a melon scooper, scoop out small balls from the watermelon. Discard all the seeds.

• Keep the melon shell for serving.Give the melon shell a Zigzag edge using a small sharp knife.

• Place the melon balls in the refrigerator to chill thoroughly.

• Mix together, lemon juice, crushed peppercorn, black salt  thoroughly.

• pour over the melon balls and toss gently once or twice to mix.

• Scoop into the melon shell and serve immediately.

• Sprinkle the chopped mint leaves on top and serve.

Watch out for this space for more summer dishes ...Till then.....Keep Cooking....

Cottage Cheese & Fruit salad

Skimmed Milk Cottage Cheese is  a good source of protein and blends well with other veggies. Pineapple, Cucumber, Apple, gauva which are all low in calories along with Olives which add essential omega-3 fatty acids to this healthy bowlful of salad.This bowlful of salad which is low in calories but high in antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids  is a perk up food and is also excellent for the skin nourishment. This recipe has been adopted from Tasty Eating For Healthy Living by Sanjeev Kapoor. 

 Ingredients:

• 200 grams skimmed milk Cottage Cheese cut into cubes
• 1 teaspoon of garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of mixed dried herbs
• 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
• salt to taste
• A cup of fresh pineapple cut into cubes
• 1 apple cut into cubes
• 1 guava cut into cubes
• 1 large cucumber cut into cubes
• 6 to 8 black olives sliced
• 4 to 5 grapes

For the Salad Dressing:

• 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 tablespoon of Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 1 teaspoon of mustard powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of crushed black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper powder

Let's Learn How to make this:

• Mix together the garlic paste, lemon juice, chilli powder, dried herbs, salt along with the olive oil. Marinade the cottage cheese in this mixture in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes.

• Mix together all the ingredients for the dressing in a bowl.

• Arrange the cottage cheese on  a skewer . Heat the Non Stick Pan and place the skewer on it.

• Cook the cottage cheese on both the sides till brown. Remove the cottage cheese pieces off the skewer and transfer onto a plate and set aside to cool.

• Combine the  grilled cottage cheese, Pineapple, Apple, Guava ,cucumber and olives in a large serving bowl.

• Drizzle the dressing over and toss to mix well. 

• Serve immediately.

Sending this entry to  cooking From cookbook Challenge

Green Papaya & Carrot Salad

A salad is a dish consisting of small pieces of food, which may be mixed with a sauce or salad dressing. Salads can incorporate a variety of foods including vegetables, fruits, cheese, cooked meat, eggs and grains. Some of the common  types of salads  include bean salad, tuna salad, fattoush, Greek salad.The sauce used to flavor a salad is commonly called salad dressing and well-known types of salad dressing includes  ranch, Thousand Island, and vinaigrette.Most salads are served cold, although some, such as south German potato salad, are served warm. Salads may be served at any point during a meal, such as:

• Appetizer salads, light salads to stimulate the appetiter as the first course of the meal.

• Side salads, to accompany the main course as a side dish.

• Main course salads, usually containing a portion of heartier fare, such as chicken breast or slices of beef.

• Dessert salads, sweet versions often containing fruit, gelatin and/or whipped cream.

There are various types of salads available such as

• Green salad or garden salad which is most often composed of leafy vegetables such as lettuce varieties, spinach, or rocket (arugula). Due to their low caloric density, green salads are considered a common diet food. The salad leaves may be cut or torn into bite-sized fragments and tossed together (called a tossed salad), or may be placed in a predetermined arrangement (a composed salad). They are often adorned with garnishes such as nuts or croutons.

• In Vegetable salad, vegetables other than greens may be used in a salad. Common raw vegetables used in a salad  include cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, onions, spring onions, red onions, carrots, celery, and radishes. Other ingredients, such as mushrooms, avocado, olives, hard boiled egg, artichoke hearts, heart of palm, roasted red bell peppers, green beans, croutons, cheeses, meat (e.g. bacon, chicken), or seafood (e.g.tuna, shrimp), are sometimes added to salads.                                                                                                                                                                    

• Bound salad   can be composed or (arranged) or tossed (put in a bowl and mixed with a thick dressing). They are assembled with thick sauces such as mayonnaise. One portion of a true bound salad will hold its shape when placed on a plate with an ice-cream scoop. Examples of bound salad include tuna salad, pasta salad, chicken salad, egg salad, and potato salad. Bound salads are often used as sandwich fillings. They are popular at picnics and barbecues, because they can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.

• Main course salads also known as "dinner salads and commonly known as "entrée salads" in North America) may contain grilled or fried chicken pieces, seafood such as grilled or fried shrimp or a fish steak such as tuna, mahi-mahi, or salmon or sliced steak,  Caesar salad, Chef salad, Cobb salad, Greek salad, Chinese chicken salad and Michigan salad are dinner salads.

• Fruit salads are made of fruit, and include the fruit cocktail that can be made fresh or from canned fruit.

• Dessert saladsrarely include leafy greens and are often sweet. Common variants are made with gelatin or whipped cream; e.g. jello salad, pistachio salad, and ambrosia. Other forms of dessert salads include snickers salad, glorified rice, and cookie salad popular in parts of the Midwestern United States.

• Composed salad is a salad arranged on a plate rather than put into a bowl. It can be used as a meal in itself rather than as a part of a meal.

Sauces for salads are often called "dressings". The concept of salad dressing varies across cultures.In Western culture, there are two basic types of salad dressing:

• Vinaigrette  is a mixture of salad oil and vinegar, often flavored with herbs, spices, salt, pepper, sugar, and other ingredients. It is also used as a sauce or marinade.

• Creamy dressings, usually based on mayonnaise or fermented milk products, such as yogurt, sour cream (crème fraîche, smetana),buttermilk. 

In North America, mayonnaise-based Ranch dressing is most popular, with vinaigrettes and Caesar-style dressing following close behind. Traditional dressings in France are vinaigrettes, typically mustard-based, while sour cream (smetana) and mayonnaise are predominant in eastern European countries and Russia. In Denmark, dressings are often based on crème fraîche. In southern Europe, salad is generally dressed by the diner with olive oil and vinegar.In Asia, it is common to add sesame oil, fish sauce, citrus juice, or soy sauce to salad dressings.

Today’s fast paced lives leaves most people with little time to sit down to a meal leave alone about what they eat in that meal. Meals are gobbled on the go, with no regard to their nutritive content. Salads add crunch, freshness and vitality to a meal. A bowlful of this salad is low in calories but high in carbohydrates, antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids…….  perfect for a healthy living and lifestyle. 

Ingredients

• Raw papaya- 1 cup grated
• Carrot-1 grated
• 4 -5  black olives
• 4-5 green olives
• 1/4 cup cheese cubes
• ¼ cup dry roasted peanuts
• ¼ cup of green gram sprouts
• Brown bread toast
• Mint leaves for garnish
• 
  

For the salad Dressing

• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp freshly crushed pepper
• 11/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 tbsp honey
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

• Dry roast peanuts in a pan, crush them, and keep them aside.
• Grate the papaya and carrots , refrigerate till required for use.
• Combine the lemon juice, pepper corn, honey, salt and olive oil to make the salad dressing.
• Cut the brown breads and toast them and keep aside.
• Just before serving, add the salad dressing to the grated papaya and carrot and toss.
•  Add the sprouts, roasted peanuts and bread toast to it and toss well.
•  Pour extra virgin olive oil on top , sprinkle a little chilly flakes .
• Garnish with mint leaves and serve immediately.