Fire Up The Grill, Toss the Slaw, I've Got The Fastest Salad Ever!!! Plus, Enter To Win Tropical Traditions Coconut

  
   There are days when no matter how much I love it, I just don't feel like cooking. When the lazy don't feel like cooking, the lazy go out to eat. That does happen sometimes but most of the time, since we try to watch what we eat and keep it on the healthy/organic side, I cook. It's one way of keeping track of what's going in, and since there are so many amazing vegetables to be found around here, it would be a shame to ignore them. I mean, they need me! So I keep a repertoire of easy to prepare side dishes. Things that can be made quickly, cheaply and above all... fast!
   So, that's why I'm sneaking this recipe for probably one of the easiest tastiest things I've ever fixed,  Radish and Peanut Salad.
   The other reason I'm tossing this in here is that I'm cooking a major Indian dinner tomorrow night and I didn't want to stress over what to eat for lunch today. This salad goes with a total vegetarian meal, or just toss something on the grill and this snappy little salad makes a great alternative to the usual cole slaw.
  Here's how it goes.
    Roughly chop 2/3 cup of roasted unsalted peanuts

   Wash, dry and chop about 1/2 pound of radishes. First take off the top and bottoms of each radish.

Then quarter each radish. You can even cut them a bit smaller depending on the size of radishes.

     In a small saucepan heat 1 Tbs of vegetable oil. I use coconut oil.
   When the oil is hot toss in:
   1/4 tsp of cumin seed
   1/4 tsp of black mustard seed

  Shake the pan until the seeds start to pop.
   When they begin to pop add in:
 1/4 tsp of turmeric
 1/4 tsp of salt
  Take the pan off the heat and add in:
 1 Tbs  of lemon juice
   Mix it in well and let the mixture cool.
  Meanwhile mix the radishes and peanuts together.

When the oil and spice mixture has cooled, pour it over the radishes and peanuts.

Mix it in well. That's it. Really. No, really. That's all it takes.

  Bingo! You've got salad.
   So there's your 10 minute barbecue/block party/pot luck/picnic star!
   I'm getting back to my dinner prep, more to follow.
Meanwhile, if you'd like to enter the Tropical Traditions Organic Shredded Coconut Giveaway here's how!!

Just A Reminder About my Giveaway
  If you'd like to get some Tropical Traditions Organic Shredded Coconut,  I'm going to be giving away 1 tub of dried shredded coconut to a lucky winner. Here are the rules.
  1.) Subscribe to Tropical Traditions free e-mail Newsletter by clicking the link. They offer all sorts of product specials and cool free recipes.
   After you do this, leave a comment on my blog letting me know you have, and either Twitter about my giveaway (@kathygori) or mention it on your blog with a link, and let me know.
Or
2.) Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions Newsletter and if you don't follow me on Twitter, follow me @kathygori and Twitter about the giveaway. Or sign up to follow my blog The Colors Of Indian Cooking and let me know you've mentioned the giveaway on your blog with a link.
Or
3.) Subscribe to the Tropical Traditions Newsletter and mention my blog and giveaway on Facebook, then let me know you have.
    I have to add for the fine print here:
Tropical Traditions provided me with a free sample of this product to review and I was under no obligation to review it if I so chose.  Nor was I under any obligation to write a positive review or sponsor a product giveaway in return for the free product.
    I'm offering this shredded coconut because I've been using it and it's great and I wanted  someone else to be able to enjoy it also.
  The winner will be drawn randomly through Random.org on Sept 1st.

Fast ,Cool ,Mango Salad!

On a hot summer day one wants to spend as little time n the kitchen as possible, but also it's great having family and friends over. And they must be fed? How do you accomplish both of these tasks with a minimum of muss and fuss..so today I'm going to suggest a few things to do with yogurt.
Indian meals almost always contain a nice cooling yogurt dish, or raita...considering that many Indian dishes can be on
the hot and spicy side something cool at the table..besides you..always helps.
A raita can be simple just yogurt and seasonings, maybe a shredded cucumber tossed in
or a vegetable, such as spinach or tomato can be added but for a treat of treats a big favorite at our house, try a fresh mango chopped up and mixed with spices and some shredded coconut.
There are great deals on mangos right now, so have your own cash for clunker salad and trade in your coleslaw, or greens at the barbecue for this stunner.
This recipe is my adaptation of a Madhur Jaffrey recipe that she credits to a Mrs. Bidapa, but mango salad recipes are mango salad recipes and they're found all over southern India. Most have the same basic ingredients.
Mango Salad:

!.) Get One large ripe mango, or if you can't find one use two smaller ones.
2.) Peel and chop it/them into chunks, of about 1/2 inch to 1 inch in size
3.) grind up 3/4 tsp. of brown mustard seeds.
Now get out your plain yogurt. One can use full, or non fat..whatever you've got.
4.) Put 1 cup of plain yogurt into a bowl. Whisk it up make it nice and creamy smooth
5.)Add the ground up mustard seeds
6.) Add either 1/8 tsp. or 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne....it's up to you how hot you want this.
Here's an optional ingredient.
7.) Add 1 Tbs, finely grated fresh coconut if you can get it.
When we lived in LA I always had a bag of frozen fresh coconut from the nearby Indian market Baharat Bazaar
in the freezer. Here in Sonoma..not so much. I have found that finely grated dried coconut UNSWEETENED mixed with a bit of water to moisten it up works just as well. As I said this step is optional..but it's sooooo good.
8.) Add 1 tsp of sugar
9.) !/4 tsp of salt.
10.) stir in the mango chunks and mix it up.
Now for the Chaunk!
I've talked about this final step before and it's what gives this salad it's tasty kick.

So, Chaunk:
In a small skillet heat a bit of oil..usually about 1 Tbs.
1.) when it's hot add 1/4 tsp. of whole brown mustard seeds
2.) As soon as they start to pop toss in 1 whole dried red chili
3.) When it starts to turn dark, toss in a small shallot that's been peeled and thinly sliced
4.) Stir it all all till the shallot is browned, then pour it all into the bowl of mango salad...
Hear it hiss..listen to the deliciousness! Stir it up well and mix it all in.
This can be served..cold or at room temperature. It'll feed 4 to 6 people

Either way when cooking Indian, always remember ,man or woman does not live by heat alone and what gets hotted up always has to be cooled down one way or another.