Peanut Salad

Overview
This is a delicious and healthy salad made with boiled raw peanuts and fresh vegetables. It has the sour taste from the lemon juice and dried mango powder and the spiciness which compliments it from hot green chillies and red chilly powder. This can be served as an healthy snack or as an appetizer.

Peanut Salad

Peanut Salad Ingredients

Ingredients
Raw peanuts - 1 1/2 cups
Diced red onions - 3/4 cup
Diced tomatoes - 3/4 cup
Diced cucumbers - 3/4 cup
Finely chopped cilantro  - 3 tablespoons
Finely chopped green chillies - 3 - 4
Dried mango powder - 1 tablespoon
Dry roasted cumin seed powdered - 1 teaspoon
Lemon juice - 2 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Turmeric - 1/2 teaspoons

Steps
1. Boil raw peanuts with enough salt and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 1/2 cup water in covered pot till soft about 25 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
2. Dry roast cumin seeds and powder and keep aside.
3. Dice the onions tomatoes and cucumber.
4. Mix all ingredients in bowl add salt as needed and serve immediately. Mix all ingredients only when you are ready to serve.

Green Papaya Salad

Overview
A nice crunchy Thai salad that can be served with any fried food especially with fish. This year for easter instead of making the traditional Kerala onion salad that we serve with beef cutlets I made this Thai salad. I got this green papaya from the Asian store and wanted to make something different other than thoran. This salad is spicy and tangy and can be served with any fried or grilled fish too.

Green Papaya Salad

Green Papaya Salad Ingredients

Ingredients
Green papaya  julienned - 2 cups
Carrots julienned - 1/2 cup
Shallots - 3
Garlic - 1 clove
Thai chilly red or green - finely chopped 2
Cilantro finely chopped 2 tablespoons
Lime juice 2 tablespoons
Fish sauce - 1 tablespoon
Salt to taste
Crushed roasted peanuts to garnish.

Steps
1. In a blender finely grind the shallots, garlic along with fish sauce, lime juice and salt to make the dressing.
2. In a bowl mix the julienned green papaya, carrots, finely chopped Thai chillies and cilantro.  Pour  the dressing over it and mix well.
3. Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with crushed peanuts.

Serve cold or at room temperature.