Summer in India sees a bounty of juicy fruits and vegetables like watermelon, cucumber, mango, squash, zucchini, litchi, plum, and cherry, etc. You can enjoy some light appetizers or main course dishes out in the sun. Serve these appetizers with rice dishes. Use Daawat, which is the best quality basmati rice in India. Check out their website for rice and biryani recipes.
Check out these scrumptious salad recipes for summer:
Caprese Salad
In a bamboo skewer, arrange cherry tomatoes, sliced bocconcini folded basil leaves. To make balsamic glaze, heat balsamic vinegar in a saucepan along with some brown sugar. Dip a fork in the glaze and drizzle over the skewers. Serve cold with sourdough bread.
Vegetarian Sushi Roll
Place cooked sushi rice on a sushi mat. Add cream cheese, julienned carrot, cucumber, avocado in the middle. Roll the sushi using the mat to fold. Sprinkle some black sesame seeds on top. You can also use the brown basmati rice to make the sushi rolls. Cut it into small pieces and serve cold with soy dip, wasabi, and pickled ginger. Use Daawat, which is the best quality of basmati rice in India. You can check out Daawat website for rice and biryani recipes.
Halloumi Skewers
In a hot grill pan, add Halloumi slices in a skewer. Brush a light marinade made with olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper. Grill until the Halloumi gets char marks. To make the miso chili sauce, heat orange juice in a pan along with lime juice, miso paste, red chili flakes, and brown sugar. Set it to a gentle simmer in low heat until it thickens. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and drizzle over some orange sauce. Place the Halloumi skewers on a plate with a handful of romaine lettuce.
Lemon & Garlic Hummus
In a food processor add boiled chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, roasted garlic cloves, olive oil, salt, pepper, and blitz until smooth. Put the hummus in the box. Drizzle some extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle some sumac and fresh pomegranates. Chop some carrots, celery, and broccoli. Add the veggie sticks along with the hummus.
Tomato & Basil Bruschetta
Slice some baguette and layer with some hummus followed by tomato mixture. In a bowl mix diced cherry tomatoes, olive oil, sea-salt, pepper, and fresh basil leaves. On another toast, add some fresh tzatziki. Add pomegranate seeds and chopped mint leaves. Serve the bruschetta with a side of fresh greens salad.
Greek Pasta Salad
Enjoy an Italian pasta dish in the form of a summer salad. Cook orzo pasta and let it chill for 2-3 hours. In a large mixing bowl, add olives, rocket leaves, sundried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, capers, roasted garlic, thyme, fresh basil, crumbled feta, cucumber, olive oil, salt, pepper, and oregano. Add the cooked orzo pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve cold.
These are some lunch recipes to enjoy in during summer afternoons.
