APPLE SALADS

Apple is a very versatile cooking ingredient.Can be turned into a dessert,a savory dish, a relish,chutney,salad, beverage and of course delicious and juicy, when eaten raw.Now in India variety of apples are available and I am experimenting  with various dishes with them.Yesterday my one experiment with apple bulgogi sauce was a disaster though the other with APPLE SALAD was WOW! Thus I am sharing this recipe with all my readers.

GREEN AND RED APPLE SALAD

                                                                 

INGREDIENTS( 4 PORTIONS)

1. Whole spinach leaves( stalks removed)-15 no.
2. Green apple-Thick juliennes-1no.
3. Red apple-Thick juliennes-1 no.
4. Celery stalks with leaves-2no
5. Mint leaves-finely chopped-handful
6. Dried apricots-finely chopped-4no.
7. Toasted walnuts-broken into small pieces-5no. 
8. Pickled  ginger-cut into fine julienne-2 tbsp

FOR DRESSING

1. Fresh orange juice -1 orange
2. Lemon juice-1tsp
3. Dijon mustard - 2 tbsp
4. Olive oil - 1tbsp
5. Salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Mix all ingredients for the dressing.
2. Tear spinach leaves into big pieces and arrange on a platter.
3. Mix little lemon juice into the apples to prevent discoloration.
4. Chop celery stalks and leaves finely.
5. Mix all ingredients of the salad and place over spinach leaves.
6. Pour Dressing over the salad and then sprinkle walnuts over it.
7. Chill and serve. 

RECIPE FOR PICKLED GINGER

1. Peel and chop ginger into fine julienne.
2. Add lemon juice,salt and pinch of sugar to it..
3. Can store in a glass jar in the refrigerator

NOTES

1. If celery is not available then substitute with chopped capsicum.
2. Dried apricots can also be substituted with dried plums, dried cranberries,dried strawberries etc.
3. Japanese Gari pickle can be used  as pickled ginger ,otherwise follow the recipe.

This salad is very interesting with varied flavors - sour ,sweet .tangy- bursting in ones mouth. The chewy texture of dried apricots and nuttiness of walnuts, freshness of mint gives this salad an entirely new dimension.

Singapore experience

It has been good 20 days since I last posted on my blog as I was away to Singapore.I was like a little child ,curiously looking at different food shops, cafes, restaurants, street food.......Amazing place for food lovers. Tried to savor variety of local delicacies- Chinese to Indonesian to Balinese to Malaysian to Thai  and above all Peranekan /nonya. GREAT EXPERIENCE!
The great Singaporean chili crab, clay pot chicken, nasi lemak , Chicken rendang  -these are few names which left a lasting impression and thus goaded me to develop a collection of  oriental recipes which would be suitable to Indian pallet.One thing which completely baffled me was BUBBLE TEA. I could not get the concept of cold milk tea with dark glutinous balls in it.To my surprise it was QUITE GOOD! I took no. of pictures but unfortunately I lost the memory card and hence I am left with no pictures. I definitely have to figure out bubble tea ad if successful I will share it on my blog.