Rice with Shrimps and Arugula sauce

I know this sounds like a crazy combination but trust me - it works.
Rice, shrimps and arugula - a combination that is surprisingly delicious and very easy to make.

Ingredients:
2 cup cooked rice
10-15 shrimps
Chopped parsley to garnish


Arugula sauce:
3 cup arugula
1/4 cup roasted nut mixture(walnuts, almonds and cashews)
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
1 medium size lemon juice
1 medium size lemon zest
1/4 cup olive oil
1 avocado
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. To make the sauce add all the sauce ingredients to the food processor and grind to a coarse paste.
2. In a pan cook the shrimps in olive oil.
3. In a serving platter add shrimps to the rice. Add a couple of table spoons of the sauce and reserve the remaining sauce in the fridge in an airtight container.
4. Mix and garnish with some parsley and grated cheese.

The reserved sauce can be used to dress pasta, cooked meat and veggies and also as a spread on toast for breakfast. It is a multipurpose sauce after all!! :)

Chick pea chat salad

This is one of my to-go salad when it comes to entertaining with Indian food.
This is a great way to incorporate classic Indian flavors and make it look pretty.

Ingredients:
1 medium size red onion
2 tomatoes
1 can of chick peas/garbanzo beans
1 tsbp of mint
2 thai chillies
1 tbsp of fresh coriander/cilantro
1 lime
2 tsp chat masala
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp sugar
1 head of Belgian Endive
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Finely chop tomatoes, onions, chillies, coriander and mint and mix that with garbanzo beans(drained and washed).
2. Add 1 lime juice, sugar, cumin powder, chat masala, salt and pepper and mix well.
3. Let it sit for 20-30 minutes so that the beans soften and soak up all the flavors.
4. Serve on individual endive leaves as shown above for personal salad bites.

Sunshine Salad

This is one of my favorite summer salads.
Mango is a seasonal fruit that is at it's best during summer and this salad highlights the same.

Ingredients:
3 leaves of Romain washed - cut in bite size pieces
4 medium size radishes - cut in quarters
2 medium size ripe mangoes - cut in 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup parsley leaves - roughly chop so that the leaves still retain their shape
1 medium size cucumber - cut in 1 inch cubes
Grated Pecorino-romano for garnish

Dressing:
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. In a bowl layer romain, parsley, cucumber, mango and radish in that order.
2. Lightly mix the dressing, don't over mix that will take away the lightness of salad, and pour over the salad.
3. Garnish with some grated cheese(the salty bite from Pecorino adds to the flavor and is my choice of cheese).

Grilled veggie salad

This salad can be made with any vegetables of your choice.
I just used two of them that I think paired very well together.

Ingredients:
2 ripe tomatoes on vine
1 medium size zucchini 
1 small lemon
Grated Pecorino-romano for garnish
Chopped parsley for garnish
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method:
1. Cut tomatoes and zucchini in 1/2 inch circles. 
2. Put some non-stick spray on a grill pan.
3. Grill the veggies on both side for 4 minutes(until you see the grill marks on them).
4. Season the veggies in pan with some salt and pepper.
5. Arrange the tomatoes at the bottom of the plate and then zucchini on the top.
6. Squeeze some lemon juice over the veggies.
7. Garnish with grated Pecorino-romano and chopped parsley.