Salad,our staple

My son’s friend was invited on lunch yesterday , we served  a simple meal along with salad.

For salad he said Oh! this is Israeli Salad I have been Israel last month where I came to know that Israeli Salad contains,cucumbers,tomatoes,onions,lemon juice and olive oil and fresh coriander leaves in Israeli Salad

It’s easy to make, inexpensive, and surprisingly delicious. In summer, I serve it alongside Chapatti or Rice, Dal. In colder weather, I use it as a healthy side to lighten up heavy meals like chappti or rice  with ghee shakkar or  churma

For those of you who aren’t familiar with this, it’s a refreshing Sephardic side dish that compliments all kinds of Haryanvi cuisine. It is low in calories, and can be served with any meal– even breakfast! Each ingredient in the salad has unique health benefits:

§  Fresh cucumbers (peel on) are fat-free, full of water and a good source of fiber.

§  Fresh tomatoes provide Vitamin C, A, and cancer fighting lycopene (organic tomatoes provide three times the lycopene of non-organic!).

§  Onions are rich in chromium, a trace mineral that helps cells respond appropriately to insulin. Onions can lower blood sugar levels, and they’ve also been shown to help lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

§  Fresh coriander  is a great source of Vitamin K.  It also contains Vitamins C and A, Folate, and anti-oxidants.

§  Lemon juice is full of Vitamin C, antioxidants, and potassium.  It’s also a natural diuretic.

§  Olive oil provides a healthy dose of MUFA’s (mono unsaturated fatty acids) and can help with digestion.

Unfortunately, some grocery stores only carry cucumbers seasonally, and some don’t carry them at all. If you can’t find cucumbers, you may substitute Chinese cucumbers. Avoid using regular fat cucumbers, as they are coated with wax and prone to bitterness.

Cucumbers have lots of little seeds, which add to their flavor. If you have trouble digesting seeds, you can seed the cucumber easily by slicing it in half lengthwise and scooping out the seed-filled center.

here’s a recipe for traditional  Indian  Salad. This is the way it’s served in India. I don’t like raw onion, so I often make mine without. Our family enjoys it both ways. Be sure to dice the vegetables small and evenly!

Ingredients

500 grams cucumbers, diced
500 grams fresh ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 medium onion, finely chopped
½ cup fresh coriander leaves, minced
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Mix till vegetables are well coated with coriander, oil, lemon juice, and salt.  Best served fresh at room temperature.

xoxo