Are you truly spring ready?

Spring is here and all of us want to eat light, especially the purifying foods that help eliminate toxins we accumulated during the winter, when the low temperatures led us to a richer and heavier diet.

Cucumber Roll-ups

Cucumber Roll-ups make for another delectable spring season relish; it is a gourmet dish by Chef Anupama of Gormeca Greens. It is an adorable snack which is quick and easy to make while packing in all the veggies.

Ingredients

• 2-3 Cucumbers
• 4-ounces hung curd
• ½ cup of microgreens (sunflower, beetroot, radish microgreens)
• A bell pepper (two in case you want to add more colour)
• Some optional herbs
• Boiled corns
• Fresh dill leaves
• Edible flowers

Method

• Cut the cucumber into thin strips using a vegetable peeler. Preferably use a thin cucumber as they are easier to slice with a peeler in the centre.
• Gently spread a thin layer of hung curd over each of the cucumber strips.
• Slice half a bell pepper into thin matchsticks.
• Wash out all the microgreens.
• Now place a mix of microgreens and bell pepper sticks at one end of each cucumber slice.
• If desired sprinkle some fresh herbs- dill or parsley work nicely.
• n Once filled to your desired amount, roll. The hung curd works nicely as a binder to keep everything together.

Serve: Serve these veggie bites cold to enjoy the fresh crunchy cucumber roll ups.

— By Chef Anupama

Sweet and sour chicken pineapple

Ingredients

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into cubes
• 2 tbsp shoaxing cooking wine, sake or sherry
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch, divided
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into ½ inch bite-sized pieces
• 3 tbsp packed brown sugar
• 2 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tsp water
• 3 cups peeled chunks of pineapple
• 2 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

Method

• Stir chicken, cooking wine and salt & let it stand for 10 minutes. Add flour and 2 tbsp cornstarch to coat.
• Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Stir-fry chicken in batches, being careful to avoid splattering oil, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Discard all but 1 tbsp oil in a pan and return to heat. Add red pepper and stir-fry until tender-crisp.
• Stir remaining 1/2 tbsp cornstarch, brown sugar, vinegar and water in a small bowl. Add chicken, pineapple and cornstarch mixture to pan and stir-fry until chicken is coated, 1 to 2 min. Stir in green onions.

— By Chef Sukraat Dang

Insalata di Rucola

Insalata di Rucola, the salad, often found in the Mediterranean region, has the balance of pungent and sweet flavours and is rich in vitamins and minerals that help our bodies cleanse them.

Ingredients

• Rocket Lettuce—500gm
• Pomegranate cleaned —160gm
• Strawberries sliced—175gm
• Strawberries puree —75gm
• Almonds sliced and toasted—50 gm
• Apple Cider Vinegar—100 ml
• Extra virgin olive oil—200ml
• Black Pepper —To taste
• Fresh Thyme—50 ml
• Dijon mustard —40 gm
• Parmesan cheese shaved —50gm
• Balsamic Vinegar reduction —20gm

Method

• Prepare a dressing using extra virgin oil, a table spoon of Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, fresh thyme and strawberry puree. You can emulsify this mixture in blender or by using a whisk in a bowl (high-energy whisking required). Now add salt and pepper to taste in this mixture and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• In another bowl, mix the rocket lettuce, pomegranate and the sliced strawberries. Add the refrigerated dressing and gently mix with the lettuce, pomegranate and strawberries.

Serve: Place this salad mix in a plate and garnish it with the toasted almonds. Additionally, you can also place some parmesan cheese shavings on top and pour some balsamic reduction on top for that extra punch.

— By Chef Japvir Singh Vohra, J W Marriott