Authentic Indian Salad Recipes

There is much more to Indian food than just curries and rice. Actually Indian cuisine is more versatile than a lot of people realize and if you are fond of the flavors, ingredients and spices used in this delicious cuisine, you might like to try making some authentic Indian salad recipes.

Some Indian salads are very similar to western salad recipes. An Indian egg salad, for example, would contain cilantro and perhaps a little cumin or turmeric but would be similar to a western egg salad in other regards. A potato salad in India is likely to contain mustard and chili to give it heat and actually, a lot of Indian salad recipes are spiced in this way because Indians enjoy spicy food and would perhaps find western salad recipes a bit bland.

There are, of course, exceptions to this and you would find an Indian rice salad or chicken salad very similar to other cuisines' interpretations of these dishes. You might find fresh mint or cilantro in them but not everything has to be spicy or hot.

Cool and Creamy Dishes

Actually, when you consider the fact that Indians enjoy eating a cool, crisp salad to contrast with their hot curry dishes, this explains why a mild, creamy flavor and texture is sometimes ideal to go with the meal.

Yogurt is preferred over mayonnaise in Indian cuisine and you can make a simple Indian salad by combining tomato, cucumber, green onion, red chili, radish, and some yogurt. Chop everything up and stir it together. You can add fruit or nuts to this, if you wish, or use some curry powder instead of the chili. If you want to add an Indian flavor to an existing salad recipe, simply add some curry powder to give it the right aroma and flavor.

How to Make Dhaniya Aloo

This traditional Indian salad combines spicy flavors with smooth ones for a wonderful contrast. The potatoes, yogurt and cilantro are mild in flavor and the chilies, pepper, cumin and lemon juice add a real zing. "Aloo" is Indian for potato, in case you were wondering, and "dhaniya" is just the name of the dish.

This is a vibrant and exciting salad and you can serve it alongside any meat, fish, or poultry dish. You can make it in advance if you want and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a few hours.

What you will need:

1 chopped fresh tomato
4 1/2 chopped, medium sized cooked potatoes
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons dry mango powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon roasted ground cumin
3 teaspoons plain yogurt
3 green chilies
2 teaspoons lemon juice or limejuice
Salt, to taste
1 cup chopped cilantro

How to make it:

Add everything except four of the potatoes to a food processor or blender and blend until you get a thick, smooth paste. Chop the potatoes and put them in a bowl. Toss them with the paste and serve chilled.

This salad is great alongside something simple like a grilled chicken breast or a pan-fried steak. If you usually serve mashed potatoes or fries with your meat, why not try this healthy alternative?

Food blog websites are wonderful if you enjoy an insight into other cuisines. If you fancy making an Indian meal but you are not sure where to start, why not do a recipe search to give you a few good ideas about possible Indian recipes?

RecipeDirectory.org Where the Web Searches for Recipe Sites

Related : all clad ltd double burner griddle