Cucumber Sesame Salad ~ Day 141

A cool, crisp cucumber salad tossed in sweet and sour sesame oil dressing.   This simple and refreshing salad makes a great appetizer or a side dish.

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Preparation time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2 to 3

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Ingredients:

• Thinly sliced Cucumbers - 2 cups, 
• Sesame oil - 1 tbsp
• Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
• Honey - 1/2 tsp 
• Roasted Sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
• Red chili flakes - 1/2 tsp
• Dill leaves - 2 tbsp, chopped
• Salt - to taste

Method:

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, and honey for 30 seconds.
2. Add the sesame seeds, red chili flakes, and salt.  Mix well.
3. Add the cucumbers and dill leaves.  Toss well to combine.
4. Serve immediately.

Peanut ~ Sesame ~ Almond Ladoo for Navarathri

Ingredients:
Peanuts - 2 cups
White Sesame Seeds - 1 cup
Almonds - 1 cup
Powdered Jaggery - 2 cups
Cardamom Powder - 1 tsp

Method:
Dry roast Peanuts (with the skin)  to light brown.
Dry roast almond for 1 minute.
Dry roast sesame seeds until golden brown.
Let it cool.
Grind all of them into a coarse powder.
Add the powdered jaggery and cardamom.   Pulse until the natural oil releases from the nuts.
Transfer the ground powder to a plate and shape into desired size balls.



Happy Navarathri

Ellu Sadam / Sesame Seed Rice

Ingredients: 


To make Sesame Powder:
White Sesame Seeds - 3/4 cup
Black Sesame Seeds - 1/4 cup
Urad Dal - 1/2 cup
Red chillies - 8 to 10
Oil - 1/4 tsp

Method:
Heat oil in a non-stick pan and fry urad dal and red chillies until golden brown.  Transfer it to a plate and let it cool.
In the same pan, dry roast both the sesame seeds in a low flame until it turns light brown in color.
Let it cool completely.  Grind all the fried ingredients into a coarse powder.

To make Sesame Rice:
Cook rice and allow it to cool.  Do not over cook the rice.

For tempering:

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Urad Dal - 2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Asafetida - small pinch

Curry leaves

Sesame oil - 2 TBSP

Heat oil in pan and fry the tempering ingredients except salt.  

Add this to the rice along with salt and required amount of sesame powder and mix well.

Add more sesame oil if required.