Vallarai Spinach, also known as Brahmi or Indian Pennywort, is a nutritious green leafy vegetable known for its health benefits. Here’s a simple recipe for a Vallarai Spinach Salad:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups Vallarai Spinach leaves, washed and chopped
- 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
- 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup carrots, grated
- 1/4 cup bell pepper (any color), diced
- 1/4 cup roasted peanuts or almonds
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil or any preferred salad dressing
Instructions:
- Prepare the Ingredients:
- Wash the Vallarai Spinach leaves thoroughly and chop them into bite-sized pieces.
- Dice the cucumber, slice the cherry tomatoes in half, thinly slice the red onion, grate the carrots, and dice the bell pepper.
- Assemble the Salad:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped Vallarai Spinach leaves, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, red onion, carrots, and bell pepper.
- Add the roasted peanuts or almonds to the bowl.
- If using sesame seeds, lightly toast them in a dry pan until golden brown and sprinkle over the salad.
- Dressing:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to make the dressing.
- Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients.
- Toss:
- Gently toss the salad until all the ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing.
- Serve:
- Transfer the salad to a serving plate or bowl.
- Serve Vallarai Spinach Salad immediately as a healthy and refreshing side dish or a light meal.
Tips:
- You can customize the salad by adding other ingredients like avocado, radishes, or olives.
- For added protein, you can include grilled chicken, tofu, or boiled eggs.
- If you prefer a creamier dressing, you can mix yogurt with lemon juice and olive oil instead of a simple vinaigrette.
- Adjust the amount of lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper according to your taste preference.
- Serve the salad immediately after tossing to keep it fresh and crunchy.
