Palak Salad

Why are salads important? Why should we eat them?

The reasons to eat salads are 

• Different vegetables and fruits that are included in a salad meet your daily needs of different fresh fruits and vegetables.
• When you mix the different veggies and fruits at hand you are mixing up different textures, colours and flavours. Even kids will enjoy it.
• Teaching your kids to eat salad makes them healthier at a younger age. They are eating fibre so they are less prone to constipation and they feel fuller. Less prone to eating junk.
• Since you are fuller you will eat less and your weight and cholesterol levels will get better.
• The benefits of eating salads include higher haemoglobin and antioxidants. With this, you can fight diseases.

One of the questions I am asked often can you eat Spinach raw?

The answer is yes, you can. You will either love it or hate it for the distinctive taste it has, bitter. The smaller leaves are tender and not so bitter plus they taste good. Pair them well and they taste good. You can also use the leaves in sandwiches.

Are palak salads good for you?

Palak or spinach is an excellent source of antioxidants, vitamin C, folic acid, iron and calcium along with other nutrients. Helps to keep your heart and eyes healthy too.

What all can I add to make Spinach Salad?

•  Add fruits as varied as strawberries to figs, apples, pears. 
• Add pasta, eggs, beet and even feta to make a delicious and healthy meal. 
• You can add different vinaigrettes like red wine vinaigrette or go for a Moroccan touch and use yoghurt dressing.
• I prefer an Indian touch of lemon and salt a sprinkling of chaat masala and chilli powder to my palak salad. 
• Or I will make palak raita.
• Palak salad can also be made with non-vegetarian ingredients like boiled chicken, stir-fried prawns, bacon. 

How do I generally make an Indian Style Salad?

Though I love a salad in any form I must say I am a bit, a wee bit more partial to the Indian style of salads. We add onions, tomatoes, cucumber, radish. We may add roasted peanut powder and/or coconut. In the past, I used to insist on tempering, but now I am okay without one too. A splash of lemon juice or chaat, salt and sugar. 

Ingredients to make this delicious Spinach Salad Indian Style

• Palak: Spinach this is a must choose tender ones else if like me generally you get the big huge leaves cut out the central veins.
• Veggies: I have used only tomatoes and onions but you can use any vegetable you have in your fridge. Cucumber, radish( use very little), carrots, onions (optional), boiled corn, beets. 
• Coconut: Freshly grated coconut, again this is optional if you do not like the taste you can avoid it.
• Garlic: Use finely minced as per your taste. I use it sparingly, but you can add as much as you want.
• Lemon juice: Add a dash of lemon juice for a lovely flavour.
• Chaat Masala: This tangy masala gives a lovely flavour. You can substitute it with sumac or add more lemon juice.
• Salt: If you are using chaat masala go easy on the salt here.
• Sugar: To balance out the taste.
• Optional ingredients: You can add fruits like apples, strawberries, pears, fresh figs, oranges, feta or cheese of your choice, eggs. If you eat meat, add boiled chicken, fish, prawns. 
• Nuts: Use walnuts, pumpkin seeds, almond slivers, peanuts.

How to make Palak Salad

• Wash and rinse all your ingredients. 
• Drain and let the spinach dry on a tea towel start with the rest of your ingredients.
• Make even sized pieces the tomatoes, or any vegetables and fruits you are using. Add them to a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice and mix well.
• Remember to chop the apples, pears last as they tend to oxidize and become brown.
• Make a stack of the spinach leaves on the cutting board and cut them in thin ribbons. The term used to this cutting is Chiffonade’. Generally, leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, basil are cut like this.
• Add the spinach Chiffonade’ to bowl, add apples and pears if you are using them. Add the rest of the ingredients except salt and toss.
• Check for seasoning and adjust.
• Serve immediately.