Crunchy salads add a great contrasting texture to the dal or curries that we cook on a regular basis. At this point, you do not want a salad that has requires a lot of cutting and prep. A swish of oil, some easy-to-cook-vegetables and and a dash of lemon make this ‘Zucchini and Capsicum Salad’ a great choice. Having eaten Maharashtrian food quite a few times, I tossed in the peanuts to give it a koshimbir effect and the gamble paid off. This salad goes extremely well as a side with rotis. If you like cold salads, refrigerate and eat it the next day for breakfast as a topping on bruschetta!

Recipe Details :
Serves: 4 pax
Time: 20 mins
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients :

• 1 zucchini, diced
• 1 capsicum, diced
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp peanuts, skin removed
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
• 1/4 cup coriander, finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp lime/lemon juice (optional)

• Take oil in a pan and heat it on medium flame. Add mustard seeds to it and wait till they splutter.
• Reduce the flame, add in the peanuts and saute for around a minute.
• Then add in the chopped onion, ginger and garlic. Cook until the onion turns translucent.
• Next add in the zucchini and green chilli and mix well. Cook it for 5 mins without a lid.
• Add the diced capsicum and salt and mix well. Let the capsicum cook for another 2 mins. Their crunch should be retained, so do not make them too soft.
• Switch off the flame. Sprinkle the salad with lime juice and garnish with coriander. Serve hot with rotis as a side. If you make it in more quantity, this can substitute a sabzi too.

Tips:

• If you don’t like large pieces of peanut in the salad, toast them separately and then break them up in a mortar and pestle / grinder. Sprinkle them on top of the salad before serving.
• Don’t overcook the vegetables. You want them to have a crunch.