Why the Tomato Turned Red

In the past few decades, salads have gained increasing notoriety thanks to the regained focus on well-balanced eating and a healthy lifestyle. However, the same trends have also led some to label it a tree-hugger's food, claiming it to be tasteless and having too many veggies. They are of course very mistaken.

After all, what's not to like about salads? It's strongest point is its versatility. A salad can be made out of anything, can be flavored with anything, and can be eaten any time of the day. It is also usually quite inexpensive to make. Consider the health factor just an added bonus.

While planning out my cooking class on salads, I realized that I first needed to define it. To do this, I had to strip it off all its flairs and get down to the grassroots; a definition must hold true at least 99% of the time.

A salad cannot be referred to as cold, since there are warm salads. It doesn't have to be just greens or vegetables either; you can make some amazing salads with just meat. It doesn't even have to have more than one main ingredient. So what essentially is a salad?

A salad is an ingredient or a combination of ingredients usually mixed with a dressing. 

Yes, I realized that the one common glue binding all salads together is in fact the dressing. You can't really call a dish that doesn't have a dressing a salad, can you? Well, reason it out if you don't agree to my definition.


So, why did the tomato turn red? Because it saw the salad dressing, of course!

Here are some tips and Do's and Don'ts while making and serving salads:

• Use a variety of ingredients, textures, flavors, colors etc

• Balance tastes of sweet, salty, spicy, and sour to achieve a rounded flavor.

• Immerse salad greens in ice water for 10 minutes to make them crisp.

• Use mayonnaise or yogurt as a base for the dressing if the salad is going to sit for a while before being consumed.

• Serve cold salads cold and warm salads warm.

•Wash and dry ingredients properly.

•When possible, do not toss the entire salad at once. Dress only as much as you will consume.

•Apply the dressing just before serving.

Here are some of the recipes for salads made using ingredients easily available in Cochin from my cooking class targeted at amateur cooks:

Roasted Beet and Orange Salad

Makes 5 portions                                                                                             Difficulty Level: Easy

5 ea      Red beets

2 ea      Oranges

1 ea      Onion, sliced thin

t.t         Salt

t.t         Pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C. Wash the beets and wrap them individually in silver foil. Place them on a baking tray in the oven for about 1 ½ hours till tender.
2. Meanwhile, peel the oranges and cut segments. Reserve the juices.
3. Take the reserved orange juice in a bowl, add salt and pepper and stir. Check and adjust seasoning.
4. Remove the beets from the oven, and when cool enough to touch, open up the silver foil and peel the beets using hands.
5. Trim the ends and cut into wedges or slices. Keep cool in refrigerator.
6. When ready to serve, toss the beets, orange segments and sliced onion in the dressing gently and transfer onto cold plate.

Chickpea and Radish Salad

Makes 5 portions                                                                                             Difficulty Level: Easy

1½ C   Dry Chickpeas

1 ea      Radish, medium-sized, sliced

2 T       Mint, chopped

2 ea      Dried red chilli, deseeded, sliced

1 C      Yogurt

1 ea      Lime, juiced

1 t        Cumin powder

t.t         Salt

t.t         Pepper

Method

1. Soak the chickpeas in water overnight and cook in salted boiling water till tender. Drain and cool in refrigerator.
2. Mix together the yogurt, lime juice, cumin powder, salt and pepper and adjust seasoning.
3. Combine the cooked chickpeas, sliced radish, scallions, mint and dried red chilli in a bowl and toss in the yogurt dressing. Serve cold.

Chicken Waldorf Salad

Makes 5 portions                                                                                 Difficulty Level: Medium

2 ea      Chicken breasts

2 ea      Apples, peeled, diced

½ C     Walnuts, toasted, chopped

½ C     Celery, peeled, cut medium dice

2 T       Parsley, chopped

3 T       Mayonnaise (recipe follows)

2 T       Yogurt

1 ea      Lime, juiced

t.t         Salt

t.t         Pepper

Method

1. Poach the chicken in salted water for about 7 to 10 minutes or cook in a sauté pan on both sides till cooked through.
2. Allow the chicken to cool in the refrigerator and cut into cubes.
3. Mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, lime juice, salt and pepper to make the dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Combine the diced chicken, apples, walnuts, parsley, and celery and toss gently in the dressing.
5. Serve cold garnished with chopped walnuts.

Mayonnaise

Makes 1 Cup                                                                           Difficulty Level: Medium

1 ea      Egg yolk, at room temperature

½ t       Dijon mustard

 ¾ C    Vegetable Oil

1 T       Olive oil

 1 t       Vinegar

 1 ½ t   Lime juice

t.t         Salt

t.t         White pepper

Method

1. Whisk together yolk, mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined well.
2. Add about 1/4 cup oil drop by drop, whisking constantly until mixture begins to thicken.
3. Whisk in vinegar and lemon juice, then add remaining 1/2 cup oil in a very slow, thin stream, whisking constantly until well blended. If at any time it appears that oil is not being incorporated, stop adding oil and whisk mixture vigorously until smooth, then continue adding oil.
4. Whisk in salt to taste and white pepper. Chill, surface covered with plastic wrap, until ready to use.

  

Greek Salad in Balsamic Vinaigrette

Makes 5 portions                                                                                 Difficulty Level: Easy

1 ea      Iceberg lettuce

½ C     Olives

½ C     Capsicum, diced

½ C     Tomato, deseeded, diced

½ C     Cucumber, deseeded, diced

½ C     Onion, diced

½ C     Paneer, crumbled

½ C     Bread, cut into cubes   

2 T       Basil, chopped

2 T       Balsamic vinegar

6 T       Extra virgin olive oil

t.t         Salt

t.t         Pepper

Method

1. Prepare all the vegetables as specified and keep refrigerated.
2. To make bread croutons, toast the bread cubes in the oven at 180 C till crisp.
3. To make the balsamic vinaigrette, take the balsamic vinegar in a bowl, add salt and pepper, and gradually whisk in the olive oil to form an emulsion. Refrigerate.
4. To serve, combine the lettuce, vegetables, paneer, croutons and chopped basil and toss gently in the balsamic vinaigrette. Serve cold.

Ultimate Fruit Salad

Makes 5 portions                                                                                 Difficulty Level: Easy

1 ea      Apple, peeled, diced

1 ea      Pear, peeled, diced

1 C      Seedless grapes, halved

½ C     Pomegranate seeds

2 ea      Bananas

1 C      Pineapple, diced

1 ea      Kiwi fruit, peeled, diced

1 ea      Mango, peeled, diced

½ C     Strawberries Halved

¼ C     Raisins

½ C     Walnuts, chopped

1 C      Cheddar cheese, cubed

¼ C     Orange juice

1 T       Balsamic Vinegar

½ ea     Lime

1 ½ T   Honey

½ t       Salt

½ t       Black Pepper, crushed

Method

1. All the fruits except the apple and pear can be prepared in advance.
2. Make the dressing by mixing the orange juice, balsamic vinegar, squeeze of lime, honey, salt and pepper and taste and adjust the seasoning.
3. Mix all the fruits and nuts and cheese and toss gently in the dressing. Serve chilled.

Potato Salad with Hard-boiled Egg Dressing

Makes 5 portions                                                                                 Difficulty Level: Easy

3 C      Potato, diced

1 t        Black pepper, whole

1 ea      Garlic head, split in half

1 C      Spring Onion, chopped

2 ea      Eggs, hard-boiled

1 T       Gherkins/Cornichons, chopped

1 T       Parsley, chopped

1 T       Mustard sauce

1 T       Red wine vinegar

2 T       Olive oil

t.t         Salt

t.t         Pepper

Method

1. Place the diced potatoes in salted water with garlic head and black pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes till tender. Remove, strain and chill.
2. To make the vinaigrette, mix together the red wine vinegar, mustard sauce, salt, and pepper in a bowl and drizzle in the olive oil gradually whisking constantly to form an emulsion. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add the chopped hard-boiled eggs, chopped parsley and cornichons.
3. Mix together the potatoes, chopped spring onion and the vinaigrette and serve chilled.

Thai Prawn Salad

Makes 5 portions                                                                                 Difficulty Level: Medium

1 C      Jumbo Prawn, peeled, deveined

2 bu     Green leaf lettuce

½ C     Peanuts

¼ C     Onions, sliced

¼ C     Cucumber, diced

½ C     Mint, roughly chopped

½ C     Cilantro leaves

1 T       Red chili flakes

2 t        Sesame seeds

2 T       Sesame Oil

½ T      Honey

1 T       Soy sauce

½ T      Fish sauce

1 t        Ginger, chopped/paste

1ea       Lime

t.t         Salt

t.t         Pepper 

Method

1. To cook the prawn, bring a pot of salted water to a boil, turn down the heat to a simmer and add the prawns. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the prawns become pink and firm.
2. Remove from the heat, strain and allow to cool. Do not rinse.
3. To make the vinaigrette, mix together the honey, soy sauce, fish sauce, ginger paste, squeeze of lime, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Whisk in the sesame oil gradually. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Mix all the salad ingredients except the lettuce and toss in the vinaigrette.
5. Just before serving, add the lettuce and toss. Serve chilled.