Summer delight

Veenu Dhanda

Summer days are here, so feel fresh by eating light and sumptuous salads. Earlier, salad only meant cucumber, tomatoes and onion rings, but now making a well-balanced salad has become a culinary art in itself. The trick also lies in the dressing, the lighter the better. Do try this corn and pasta salad and get compliments galore.

CORN ‘N’ PASTA SALAD

INGREDIENTS

• 1 recipe Italian dressing                                          
• 1 medium sized capsicum finely cut
• 100 gms pasta boiled and cooled (fusilli) 
• 1 cup corn
• 2 medium cucumbers peeled and chopped          
• 2 tbsp olives chopped
• 2 spring onions finely cut
• 1 iceburg lettuce
• 1 onion finely cut                                                     

For decoration

• 2 red tomatoes finely cut  cabbage leaves 

METHOD

• Refrigerate all the ingredients
• In a big bowl, add cucumber and tomatoes
• Add pasta
• Then add corn, onion, capsicum, bell pepper 
• Mix it well
• Mix salad with dressing
• Taste and balance salt, chilli powder, herbs
• Toss for 2-3 minutes and keep it in fridge 

Options

• Put paneer cubes and omit corn
• Sauted mushrooms

Italian Dressing INGREDIENTS 

• ½ cup refined / olive oil                  
• 2 tbsp onions finely cut
• 1 tbsp lemon juice  
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp vinegar                                   
• 1 bayleaf
• 2-3 tbsp castor sugar                                   
• ½ tsp basil
• ½ tbsp mustard powder                   
• ½ tsp thyme
• ½ tsp red chilli powder               
• ½ tsp oregano
• 1 tbsp salt 

METHOD

• Put all ingredients in a blender except oil and churn on high power.
• Once the sauce becomes slightly thick, add oil gradually, little at a time.
• You can refrigerate in a glass bottle or box for one month.  

(Dhanda is a Ludhiana-based culinary expert) 

AS TOLD TO POONAM BINDRA

from The Tribune http://bit.ly/2UYvSub
via Today’s News Headlines