"Cucumber Salad with roasted Melon Seeds" ... there are many types of melon seeds that are all loaded with health benefits ... you can include them in many ways too, like grind them along with masala, powder them and add to sweet dishes or masala milk etc. ... but the best way to have them is roasted as it is or sprinkled on salad just before serving ... always serve a small bowl of salad for every meal for a healthy lifestyle ... Yummilicious ...
** Cucumber salad is topmost salad among all especially with added on onions and tomatoes. But when yo want to add on some crushed peanuts or roasted melon seeds then it tastes best when kept simple with just cucumbers cut into medium sized cubes. Though I include salads almost on daily basis during the months of Chaturmas ie four months of back to back festivals makes it difficult to stick to particular food habits and as I do not want to forgo traditional dishes prepared on auspicious day the diets somehow goes for a toss.
** With Diwali sweets and savories cannot be avoided and the desire to relish somehow overcomes the resistance not to do so and you just brush away thoughts of diets when they crop up. However with Diwali, the festive season comes to an end and that is when the light meals to balance the loads of goodies eaten begins and it is salads that rules the meals in my home. I often tried to include variations in salad, just small twists to make it more appealing to taste buds as routine dishes are something everyone begins to detest.
** I always have plenty of seeds/ nuts/ dry fruits in stocked in my fridge. I love including them in dishes not to mention munch on them for those in between hunger pangs or have some when hubby and me decide to forgo dinner. It is just a matter of year or so when we came to know that hubby is allergic to peanuts/ groundnuts and that was a big blow to him as he never missed his handful of roasted peanuts almost on daily basis. Well, I had to replace it with other nuts and now it is almost a forgotten one in my home and I never buy them.
** A little bit of roasted nuts either crushed coarsely or as it is topped on salads always tastes wonderful, so does it on burfi or halwas. I have always used melon seeds roasted and tossed on halwa, and this time I gave it a try on cucumber salad. I kept the salad simple without any other addition of ingredient as it would spoil the crunch and Oh yes, before I forget this one should be served immediately tossed and done or else it loses on taste as it somehow turns limp with the cucumber giving away a little bit of water, so be careful.
** Here is my simple recipe for "Cucumber Salad with roasted Melon Seeds" … My Own Style … Including salads should be made must with every meal, also try adding on roasted seeds as garnish for nutrients ...
** Roasting Melon Seeds : Add handful of melon seeds on a thick bottomed kadai/ pan and fry on medium heat, stirring often to avoid it getting browned/ burnt. You can also Microwave it if you are familiar of doing so, which is what I do. I roast about 200 gms of melon seeds in microwave oven, keep it airtight container and use as necessary. This avoids me the trouble of having to prepare it often and also cuts down on precious time and effort.
** Wash, wipe dry and peel off the skin of about 300 gms (2-3 large sized) cucumbers (taushe’/ khakdi) with a potato peeler. Slice off both the edge sides as thinly as possible and then cut it vertically into half and then further into 3 length if thick or two if thinner in diameter. This way you will get 4 or 6 lengthwise cuts of cucumber, after which cut it horizontally equally into pieces to get medium sized cubes.
** Add the cut cucumber pieces into a wide stainless steel bowl. Add in a pinch of hing (asafoetida) powder, salt (namak/ meeta) to taste, 3-4 green chillies (tarni mirsanga/ hari mirchi) crushed coarsely, handful of finely chopped fresh coriander leaves (dhania/ kottambari pallo). Add in freshly squeezed juice of half a lemon and toss the salad well till all ingredients are combined. Lastly add handful of roasted melon seeds and mix.
** "Cucumber Salad with roasted Melon Seeds" is done and ready to be served. Once the salad has been tossed/ mixed, serve immediately to avoid nuts turning limp. This salad tastes best when served as a side dish along with other dish when freshly prepared. You can have this as you dinner if you want to go light after heavy meals or festive days. It is very healthy to add on salads at meals to keep a balanced meal and check on weight.
** If at all you are to not serve the salad immediately but need to prepare the same in advance and keep ready to avoid hazels later in case you have guest dropping by, then the least you can do I add all the ingredients well except the lemon juice, roasted melon seeds, salt and keep it in a airtight container in fridge and add the left out ingredients just before serving, this way it will remain crisp as addition of salt and lemon juice always makes the cucumber leave water and by avoiding them they will remain fresh.
** There are many more delicious “Salad” dishes both with addition of curds and as it is in various combinations in my Blog. Sharing a common link below, which you may browse through in leisure and try out as and when convenient or as is your family preference.
** Sharing a common link below of list of recipes wherein I have included “Melon Seeds” … they taste wonderful and are a storehouse of good nutrients, so include them or other seeds ... You can refer to some of the dishes where in I have used the same by browsing through the link below and get a fair idea …
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Thanks.