Simple Beets Salad

A refreshing bowl of salad is always a healthy choice for a healthy breakfast or a snack. A delicious salad can be made in just a few minutes. Chop some tomatoes, cucumber and onion. Combine and season with salt and pepper and tadaaa...a healthy salad in no time. Here is a quick salad that is healthy and tasty as well as colourful. I have added beets to the regular salad that gives the salad an eye catching colour. Its a vegan salad.

Ingredients:

Beetroot - firm - Medium size - 2

Onion - Medium size - 1 (optional)

Tomatoes - red and firm - 2

Cucumber - firm - medium size - 1

Salt and Pepper - as required

Lemon - 1 - for dressing (optional)

Fresh Coriander leaves - for garnishing

Method:

Wash all the ingredients. Organic vegetables are preferable. 

Peel the beetroots and pressure cook for 3 whistles. When the beets are cooked, dice the beets and keep it aside. Alternatively, peel the beets, dice them and cook in medium flame adding adequate water.

Transfer the cooked and diced beets to a large mixing bowl.

Add chopped onions and tomatoes

Peel the cucumber skin and dice it. Add it to the mixture. Cucumber seeds are edible and have healthy benefits, so do not discard the seeds.

Mix the content and squeeze juice of one lemon. Add required amount of salt and pepper. Mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves/cilantro.

Fresh, simple and healthy salad is ready to be served.

The colour of the salad is red due to the addition of beets.

Vegetable Burger with Potato Patty Indian style

Who doesn't love potatoes?? In this recipe, aloo/potato has taken a shape of a patty. Just one full burger with this patty is good enough to fill your stomach. We had tomato soup to go with this burger for lunch and it became a wholesome meal and for at least the next 3 full hours, we din't feel a bit hungry. 

There are many versions of vegetable burger depending upon the fresh vegetables used and the type of patty used which can be either a mixed vegetable patty, aloo tikki, simple potato hash browns or a even a simple aloo patty that is lightly spiced. 

Coming to the recipe, for this vegetarian burger, I have prepared a potato patty that is mildly spiced with Indian flavours. Its quite simple and tasty too. These patties are a great party starters that can be served hot with ketcup. 

If you have the boiled potatoes ready, the total time to make the patty and assemble the burger ingredients and build the burger tower just takes around 20 to maximum 30 minutes. Here's the recipe.

Ingredients for potato patty:

Boiled and peeled Potatoes - 4 medium sized

Red onions - 2 medium sized - finely chopped

Fresh ginger - finely cut - 2 tablespoons

Cooked peas - 1 handful (optional)

Oil to fry onions - 1 tablespoon

Oil for shallow frying the patties

Salt as required

Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon

Green chilli - 1 finely minced

Coriander leaves - handful - finely cut

Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon

Chaat masala powder - 1 teaspoon

Garam masala powder - 1 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - one pinch

Bread crumbs - 4 to 5 tablespoons

Ingredients for Burger:

Burger buns - 4

Butter to toast the burger buns (optional)

Mayonnaise

(I used store bought eggless mayonnaise)

Tomato ketchup

Sliced Tomatoes

Sliced Cucumbers

Onion cut into rings (optional)

Green lettuce or Red lettuce

(I used red lettuce)

Cheese slice (optional)

Method:

Prepare the aloo patties:

Grate the boiled potatoes and transfer to a mixing bowl. 

Add salt, pepper powder, finely minced green chillies and finely cut coriander leaves.

Mix well using a fork. Keep it aside.

Heat oil in a pan. Temper cumin seeds. Add the finely cut onions and ginger.

Fry for a minute and add turmeric powder, salt, chaat masala powder, and garam masala powder.

Note: If onions are not used, then, all of the ingredients that are added to the onions (except oil) can be directly added to the potato mixture.

Turn off heat and add it to the potato mixture.

Add a tablespoon of bread crumbs and mix well.

Take a handful of this potato mixture and make a ball. Press on top to shape it like a patty.

Dip in a plate of bread crumbs generously both sides and arrange them in a plate.

Heat at least 4 tablespoons of oil in a wide bottomed non stick fry pan.

Place the patty and cook on both sides until its browned. 

Make sure the patties are handled carefully as it can break apart.

Carefully arrange the cooked patties in a plate and cool them.

Build the burger tower:

Toasting the burger bun is optional.

Place the bottom side of the burger.

Apply mayonnaise. Place the lettuce.

Place one big aloo patty. 

Top it with cheese slice (if using), sliced tomatoes and cucumbers and onions too.

squeeze some tomato ketchup and close the burger tower with the top side of the burger bun.

Serve it with french fries and/or soup and/or salad.