If summer’s the time when you shed layers of clothing, it’s also the time when you want to shed some of those pounds accumulated during winter as well! You want to look cooler and feel lighter and sexier and eating right is a big part of doing that.
This week, we’re looking at some recipes from my book Vicky Goes Veg, that are for these crunchy, fresh and quick accompaniments to your sandwiches and burgers even for taco shells.
These accompaniments add a healthier twist to traditional snacks and meals, and make even your typical sandwich far groovier! The Nasik Radish Slaw could just be a side salad, but it makes a great sandwich filling too. Usually you make slaw with just cabbage but this radish slaw is lighter, crunchier and tastier.
As for the Minted Chickpeas with Crispy Okra and the Cucumber and Tendli Carpaccio, these are meals in themselves. I like to take the skin off the chickpeas because it feels better on the palate.
When cooking chickpeas, add a tea bag, this adds taste and colour. As for the Carpaccio, it is paired with a freshly ground, chunky pesto. If you want to turn up the heat quotient, add some fresh chillies to it.
Simply double up the recipes if you want a fuller meal. So let’s be creative and get cracking!
Cucumber and Tendli Carpaccio
Ingredients
1 medium-sized cucumber, washed, pat-dried, sliced lengthwise into thin ribbons
3 ivy gourd (tendli), washed, pat-dried, sliced lengthwise into thin ribbons
l ½ medium sized white radish, washed, pat-dried, sliced lengthwise into thin ribbons
For the marinade
1 tsp sugar
l ½ tsp salt
1 tsp vinegar
1 tsp dill
20 gm fennel, sliced
2 tsp spring onion/scallion, sliced
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp olive oil
For the red pepper and peanut pesto
l ½ a red pepper, roasted and peeled
30 gm unsalted toasted peanuts
l ½ tsp ginger
l ½ a green chilli
2-3 tbsp olive oil
l ½ a red apple
A small bit of jaggery
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/3rd cup coriander leaves, chopped
Method
For the marinade, whisk the sugar and salt along with the vinegar, dill, fennel, scallions and lemon juice. Blend in the olive oil.
Pour the marinade over the vegetable ribbons and rest in the fridge for an hour or so.
For the red pepper and peanut pesto, just whizz all the ingredients to get a flaming red pesto.
To plate, dress the ribbons of veggies on a plate and spoon some red pepper and peanut pesto.
