Cucumber Chat

 We have a misconception that food that are healthy won't taste good. But I say ' Food that looks good almost always tastes better '. Many of us don't like salad (don't count me, I can survive on salad) and we say salads are boring. So why not put this salad in an interesting  lip-smacking chat style. This is basically a street food in Mysore. I have posted recipe of Churmuri in this blog....so using same ingredients on a cucumber or tomato will be a chat kinda salad. This works as great appetizer, a great snack, a great salad......what ever u name it....its worth trying..and I am sure one will be in love with this and prepare this atleast a  zillion time.

     This can be prepared either with cucumber or tomato as base. I am using cucumber here.  Cucumber is filled with water and yet very nutritious. It is rich in Vitamin A , C and folic acid. This is an excellent source of Silica which is a trace mineral which contributes to strenghten our connective tissue.  This is very good for skin and prevents water retention. So lets start making our healthy Cucumber chat.

Preparation time : 10 mins

Cooking time : 0

Serves : 3-4

Ingredients: 

For the paste 

Coriander leaves - 1/2 cup (washed and chopped)

Green chilli - 6-7 (according to spice level_

Jeera - 1 tsp

Pepper - 5-6

Onion - 1/8 cup (chopped)

Salt - to taste

Grind all these into fine paste

Other Ingredients:

Cucumber - 1 (preferable seedless)

Carrot - 1 medium (grated)

Onion -  1 small finely chopped.

Coriander leaves - 1/4 cup finely chopped

Salt - just to sprinkle

Lemon - 1/2

Peanut - 1/4 cup (roasted)

Puffed rice (puri/murmura) - 2 cups

Method

2. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on each slice.

     Drizzle lemon juice on each slice .

    Spread the green chutney on each slice.

1. Peel the cucumber and cut horizontally like in picture.
Alternatively cucumber can be cut into rounds
if circumference of cucumber is more.

3. Sprinkle grated carrot,chopped onion,
chopped coriander leaves and peanut

4. Finally sprinkle puffed rice all over
    the slice and serve immediately.

This will serve as an excellent healthy snack or as an healthy starter or as an chat or as an salad. I bet this is an excellent way to feed kids the vegetables.  Try it out and share the experience.....happy cooking....