More taste, less labour

Pushpesh Pant

There are days when you feel lazy and don’t want to exert in the kitchen. Still, the body needs nourishment and the palate pines for pleasure. These are times when a salad with a sandwich and soup come to the rescue. Come to think of it, you can even dispense with the carb-ridden sandwich if you can manage to fortify the salad. The challenge is greater if you are a vegetarian. Recently, our friends, Chef Nishant Choubey and Rinku, delighted us with a recipe that fits the bill perfectly. We will tell you about the soup some other time but here comes the salad!

Nayaab Salad

Ingredients

• Pearl millets....................................50gm
• Mix sprouts (chopped)......................Half cup 
• Green apple..........................................Half
• Cucumber (small).................................Half
• Watermelon.......................................50gm
• Lemongrass............................A few straws
• Apple cider vinegar...............................1tsp
• Olive oil.................................................1tsp 
• Mint leaves.......................................1 sprig
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper (freshly ground)
• Honey......................................1tsp (optional)
• Walnut or roasted peanuts (crushed)...........................................1/4cup

Method

Soak the millets in hot water for four to six hours and then boil them along with lemongrass for five minutes. Allow to cool and place in a glass bowl. Add washed and chopped sprouts. Dice the watermelon and add to the sprouts; core and slice the green apple very fine. Cut the cucumber thinly; slice it into crescents. Put these into the bowl too. Prepare a dressing by mixing vinegar and olive oil. Add honey if you like. Pour this dressing on top of the salad and blend well. Sprinkle salt to taste and black pepper powder. Divide into equal portions. Place in small cups and garnish with watermelon and mint leaves. Enjoy!