Mooli Salad ( Daikon Radish Salad)

Love this salad for it's simplicity and use of fresh Mooli.


INGREDIENTS:                                            serves 4; Prep time - 15 min ; Soak time - 20 mins

1. Mooli ( Daikon Radish), large hole grated - about 3 cups
2. Moong dal, dehusked and split in half - 3 tbsp
3. Green chilli -3
4. Cilantro - 2 tbsp
5. Salt to taste
6. Sugar - 3/4 tsp
7. Lime/lemon juice - 1 tsp
8. Oil- 1 Tbsp
9. Brown mustard seeds - 1 tsp
10. Asafoetida - 1/2 tsp

PROCEDURE:

1. Soak the grated Mooli in cold water for about 5 minutes. Soak the Split Moong Dal in warm water for about 15-20 minutes. Keep Aside.
2. Chop the cilantro. Deseed and finely chop the green chilli. Keep aside.
3. Squeeze the Mooli of excess water and place in a bowl. Add in the cilantro and chopped green chilli.
4. Drain the Split Moong Dal and add to the above mixture.
5. Add the rest of the ingredients- salt, sugar and lime juice and mix. Check the seasonings .
6. In a small pan or wok, heat the oil. When hot add in the mustard seeds and the asafoetida. Once the mustard seeds crack open, quickly add to the salad. Mix well.
7. The above step is optional, but certainly imparts a wonderful flavour. 
8. Serve either after step 6 or 7 as per personal preference.

NOTE - Sometimes the Mooli can be a little pungent and soaking in cold water for a few minutes helps mellow the radish.

Peanut Salad

Peanut Salad is great as a snack, a salad or as an appetizer with cocktails. The recipe can be personalized to make it as tart or salty or pungent (spicy) as you'd want. The basic ingredients are simple and you as the cook has the option of adding or deleting any of the ingredients.

Ingredients:

1. Raw Shelled Peanuts - 1 cup

2. Shredded cabbage - 1/4 cup

3. Finely chopped onion - 1/4 cup

4. Chopped Tomato - 1

5. Finely chopped serrano/jalapeno pepper, deseeded - 2

6. Chopped cilantro - 1/4 cup

7. Finely chopped raw mango - 1/4 cup

8. Finely chopped carrot - 1/4 cup

9. Salt - 1-2 tsp

10. Lime juice- 2 tsp

11. Cayenne powder - 1 tsp

12. Sugar - 1/2 tsp

Method:

1. Soak the raw peanuts for about 2 to 4 hrs. Boil the peanuts till just tender, about 30-40 minutes. Drain.

2. Mix together all the ingredients. Check the seasonings and adjust accordingly.

3. Serve.

This salad keeps well. The ingredient list is just a starting point. One may add other ingredients like boiled potatoes, jicma cubes; omit ingredients like cabbage, tomato etc. The combinations are endless. One may always make it more/less spicy as per personal preference.

This is a popular street snack served on the beaches of Chennai, a city in Southern India.