Rang Barse (Chana Paneer Salad)

"Holi ke rang,
rang birangi healthy salad ke sang!!! :) "

What could be better than playing with sprouted beans/lentils, colorful veggies and yum yummy paneer to finally come out with a super-healthy protein-rich appetizer!

CHANA PANEER SALAD:

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup sprouted chana (black gram)
• 1 cup paneer (crushed/crumbled)
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped cucumber
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup grated carrot
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

Salad Dressing:

• 2 and 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons chat masala
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
• 2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste)
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder (jeera)
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder (optional)
• 1 tablespoon dried mint leaves (powdered)
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Garnishing:

• Coriander leaves
• Yellow and Red Bell Pepper cut into rings and arch shapes
• Carrot grated and cut in flower shape (partially cut the carrot in vertical manner at five places and take out those thin strips. Remaining carrot shapes like a flower which can be sliced to make many small carrot flowers.)
• Onion rings
• Sliced tomato rings
• Sliced cucumber rings

Method:

1. Mix all the salad dressing ingredients together and keep aside.
2. Now cook the sprouts with salt and 1/2 cup water in a pressure cooker and take a whistle or cook in a sauce pan till it boils, turn off the heat and cover the pan for about ten minutes; drain any liquid.
3. Let the sprouts cool to room temperature.
4. Take the sprouts and add paneer and chopped vegetables. Now add the dressing to this mixture and let it stand for 15-20 minutes.
5. Now take a bowl/plate, put this mixture and garnish with yellow and red bell pepper rings(half cut), sliced onion, tomato and cucumber rings, grated carrot, flower shaped carrot and coriander leaves.

Making sprouts:

1. Soak the whole chana overnight where the water should be 3 times of it.
2. After soaking chana, it will double in volume, so remember to soak 3/4 cup of it which will result in 1 and 1/2 cups after soaking.
3. Drain the water and loosely wrap the beans in a wet muslin cloth. Store the soaked lentils in a warm dark place, like in a closed container or oven. The lentils would sprout in a day or two.
4. These sprouts can be refrigerated for four to five days.
5. Always remember to boil/microwave the sprouted lentils/beans before preparing salad so as to kill the bacteria which proliferate during the germination process.

SPECIAL: CHANA PANEER PAPAD SALAD

You could go an extra mile by taking a roasted papad and dress that with the sprouted mixture in the middle and ornament the sides with thin carrot stripes (remember the left over stripes while crafting carrot flowers!!) The centre can be made more colorful by adding tomato and coriander leaves.



Happy Eating!! :)

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My event: Cooking Made Easy With Cheese/Paneer