Tag: Simple Healthy Salad

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Thai Cucumber Salad

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This Thai cucumber salad is sweet and tangy, one of my favourite healthy summer salads! The salad is sweet, spicy, crunchy and refreshing! Perfect for a hot summer day, always a hit at picnics and potlucks!

This Thai cucumber salad is a healthy side dish that is easier to make and bursting with fresh and tangy flavours. 

Who doesn’t crave a refreshing summer salad in the months of May and June? Dad and I are always thinking of healthy and refreshing salads to make in this hot season. We thoroughly enjoy salads that are cool yet healthy and amazingly delicious on a hot summer evening. The Thai cucumber salad is perfect for an evening like this. 

This Thai cucumber salad is made out of english cucumbers, but you can also use the regular cucumbers which are easily available anywhere. English cucumbers are long, slender, with tiny seeds and tender skin. I usually prefer the english cucumbers for the salad but feel free to use the regular ones. 

This salad is a quick fix, every time you have guests coming over last minute or are craving something refreshing and tangy, this is the recipe your loved ones will truly binge eat! 

It’s quick and simple, super simple to toss up, and can be prepared ahead of time if you desire.

This is a recipe that can be pulled out any minute you like and used for numerous occasions. But more than anything this cucumber salad recipe is amazingly delicious!

The dressing is sweet, salty, tangy and with a hint of chilli! The best part is the juice of the cucumbers seep into the dressing which truly enhances the flavour. 

Thai dressing

The Thai dressing for the salad is truly simple to whisk. It includes the usual pantry staples which you will definitely have. Sugar, fish sauce, lemon juice, sesame oil, and apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar. You can also simply whisky together water, Thai sweet chilli sauce, sugar and apple cider vinegar. 

You can eat this salad on its own or simply serve it as a side dish. This summer salad recipe is truly satisfying when eaten with a handful of roasted peanuts. If you want a full meal try pairing this cucumber salad recipe with my Lemon Herb Grilled Chicken Salad or as a side dish with grilled fish or chicken. 

Thai cucumber salad variations

Feel like tweaking the recipe a bit?

  • Add Vegetables – Feel free to add finely shredded vegetables such as carrots, red cabbage or snow peas. 
  • Creamy Texture – For a creamy texture add a few slices of avocado.
  • Thai Basil – Have some leftover Thai basil? Chop up a few leaves finely and add it to the cucumber salad. This would add some extra flavour to the salad.
  • Make it Hot – Want the salad hot and fiery? Finely chop some fresh red chillies and add it to the dressing. 

I hope you enjoy this easy summer salad, please ask many questions that you have in the comments sections.

Thai Cucumber Salad
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Thai Cucumber Salad

Recipe by Ishana PassiCourse: Salads, VegetarianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking time

5

minutes
Total time

20

minutes

The salad is sweet, spicy, crunchy and refreshing! Perfect for a hot summer day, always a hit at picnics and potlucks!

Ingredients

  • 2 cucumbers, finely sliced

  • 1 tbsp peanuts, crushed

  • 1/2 onion, finely sliced

  • 1 tsp chopped cilantro

  • Dressing

  • 2 tsp honey

  • juice of 1 lemon

  • 1 spoon apple cider vinegar/ white vinegar

  • 1 spoon sesame oil

  • 2 tsp fish sauce

Directions

  • Finely slice the cucumber using a vegetable peeler and drizzle the salt on top and mix well. Leave aside in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
  • Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients for the dressing together.
  • Drain the salt water from the cucumber completely. Toss the onions, and incorporate with the dressing.
  • Top with peanuts and cilantro and serve chilled.
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Asian Kale Salad

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Can healthy vegetables taste good? 

Kale Yeah!!

I always used to avoid eating kale due to its bitter taste and now it is one of the best kale salads I enjoy. The Asian kale salad was always a side dish for me, but eventually my dad and I found ourselves eating the whole bowl of kale salad for dinner. 

Every time I toss up this salad when I have guests over, I’m left with several requests for the Asian kale salad recipe. This is the best kale salad you can think of. A simple healthy salad, full of bright and bold flavours, it’s crunchy, sweet, spicy, savoury, healthy and satisfying! It makes for the perfect lunchbox to carry along with you to work or for a picnic as it does not get soggy. 

This is the easiest Asian kale salad you can toss up in less than 15 minutes! All you have to do is chop up the ingredients and toss it up with the asian dressing recipe. It’s easy to make and full of asian flavours. It only took me one bite to fall in love with it! This vibrant, simple healthy salad is great served as a main dish, side dish or even as a takeaway for a day out!  

What does massage kale mean?

Raw kale is a tough, chewy and bitter leaf. It is not enjoyable to eat the leaf as it is. Massaging the kale assists with breaking down the extreme cell structure giving the kale a milder texture and a gentle flavour. The enhanced flavour is more appealing in salads and is also easier to digest. 

When to massage kale?

The need to massage kale leaves only comes when you are using big chunky pieces of the leaves and have to serve them immediately. The dressing used for the salad can be used to massage the kale leaves.

If the leaves are being chopped into thin pieces or you are not serving your salad immediately then the citric acid in your dressing such as vinegar or lemon juice will break down the cell structure. The citric acid will break down the cell structure the same massaging the kale would. 

How to massage kale?

Start by deboning the kale leaves. Get the stems out as they are fibrous and tough which are not required. Simply just rip them off by running your fingers on each side of the stem. Now, transfer the leaves in a large bowl with a pinch of salt, splash of vinegar and some lemon juice. Gently crunch the leaves between your palms and start to massage them gently. Keep rubbing them between your fingers until they start to wilt. Try tasting the leaves as that’s the best technique to tell if you have reached the point. The leaves should have a nice crunch to them and at the same time not be chewy. 

The catch here is to not over massage the leaves. This would ruin the texture of the leaves, leaving them all mushy!

The Asian Kale Salad Dressing 

The asian salad dressing is my all time favourite. It is easy to make and you can store it for weeks! You can use this salad dressing in leafy salads or noodle salads. Or you can simply use it as an asian marinade for your steamed vegetables or a stir fry. It literally takes 5 minutes to make this dressing full of asian flavours. 

The salad dressing includes the usual pantry staples such as olive oil, honey, soya sauce, vinegar and mustard. Just simply whisk all the ingredients together and store it for up to 3 weeks! To finish, sprinkle a handful of roasted crushed peanuts! Hope you enjoy this simpler version of the Asian sesame dressing!

Asian Kale Salad
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Asian Kale Salad

Recipe by Ishana PassiCourse: Salads, VegetarianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

15

minutes
Cooking timeminutes
Total time

15

minutes

This is the easiest Asian kale salad you can toss up in less than 15 minutes!

Ingredients- Dressing

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 1 tsp vinegar

  • 1 tsp light soya sauce

  • 2 tsp honey

  • 1/2 tsp dijon mustard

  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes

  • Rock salt to taste

  • SALAD

  • 3 cups kale, shredded

  • 1 tsp olive oil

  • 1 cup shredded purple cabbage

  • 1 cup carrot, peeled and grated

  • 1 large sliced red bell pepper

  • 1 large sliced yellow bell pepper

  • 1/4 cup onion sliced

  • 2 tsp roasted peanuts

Directions

  • In a small pan over medium heat, add olive oil. After the oil is heated add the chopped garlic and sauté for a few minutes.
  • When the oil is fragrant, remove from heat and set aside to cool.
  • Once cooled, pour the garlic and olive oil mixture into a small bowl. Add the rest of the dressing ingredients. Whisk together till properly combined. Keep aside.
  • Prepare the chopped kale by placing it in a large bowl along with 1 tsp olive oil. Massage it gently until tender.
  • Add the rest of the salad ingredients in the bowl and mix together.
  • Drizzle over the Asian salad dressing, mix together until well combined.
  • Sprinkle a handful of roasted peanuts and serve.

Make sure to try the Green Pea and Peanut Quinoa!