A Fresh Start: The Batra Hospital Salad

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Summer is allegedly around the corner. This is what I told myself as I paired my cardigan with a THICK colorful scarf and contemplated wearing a hat on the way out earlier this week. Yes people, after a brief warm spell that had people scurrying into their respective gyms in a vain attempt to get bikini-ready, we are back to the usual.

Undaunted, I checked the liquor supplies to make sure we were stocked up on Pimms and furiously began to think salad. Tired of the arugulas and the overpriced spring mixes, I harkened back to the olden days, when my father was hospitalized and came home with a salad recipe. I kid you not. But then we are a family of foodies.

Said salad was apparently served when he was convalescing, and while he may have been depressed about being downgraded to a salad, the Batra Hospital Salad was here to stay.

Be well, and enjoy.

The Batra Hospital Salad

This salad is usually made with green cabbage as a base. I was fixating on red cabbage while grocery shopping, and I must say the colors were very pleasing. Make sure you shred the cabbage and into very thin slices, so it absorbs all the juices more effectively.

1 small onion

8-10 cherry tomatoes (or 2 medium tomatoes)

½ small cucumber

½ carrot

3 green chillies

Spring of cilantro/coriander leaves

Juice of one lime

Salt to taste

Slit  green chillies vertically, sprinkle with salt and set aside.

Shred or slice the cabbage into very thin slices, and chop onion into slightly thicker ones. Peel and cut the cucumber and carrot into thin sticks. Cut cherry tomatoes into halves if you are using them, if using regular tomatoes, cut into mid sized chunks.

Finely chop the coriander leaves.

Toss all the vegetables into a bowl with coriander leaves and the salt infused green chillies. Add the lime juice. Refridgerate for at least a half hour before serving.

I serve this with a dal and rice for a simple vegetarian weeknight dinner or as a side with a chicken dish like Chettinad Chicken.