Crunchy noodle salad

"This is my all time favorite salad recipe, got from a friend in the US, couldnt stop eating it then and now also. The crunchy noodle topping and soy based dressing, adds a completely different dimension to a regular salad...  "

Servings = 500 gms salad - enough for 6 - 8 people, make entire dressing amount and use around half for 500 grams salad vegetables

Ingredients: 

 Dressing

• 3/4 cup oil
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp soya sauce 

Salad - 1 kg in all as per taste

• cabbage 
• carrot
• broccoli
• red pepper
• green pepper

Topping

• 2 packets Ramen/Maggi noodles
• 75 gms almonds chopped/slivered
• 3 tbsp crushed peanuts
• 2 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp oil

Method: 

1. For the dressing, take a non reactive pan ( stainless steel, glass or enamel) and add the oil,sugar and vinegar in cold pan. Boil all together for 1 minute, tills sugar dissolves,take off heat and cool completely
2. Add soya sauce and whisk it till it comes together 
3. For the topping, in a frying pan take the butter and oil, add the smashed raw noodles, almonds, sesame and peanuts.Brown them together on a low flame till they are golden, dry and crunchy
4. Shred all the salad vegetables as thin as possible
5. Mix the salad and dressing ( add some initially and then keep adding and tasting for the perfect balance for you) 
6. Add most of the topping (leaving 1 tbsp for garnish), and 2 drops of chilly oil and sesame oil if available, mix well.
7. Garnish with the remaining topping and serve immediately

Note:

• Dressing and topping ingredients can be made before hand and refrigerated to be used later at food time
• Make dressing amount as specified , as it comes out best, and any leftovers can be refrigerated and used next time when you make it. Its so good that u will want lots of it :)

Cottage Cheese pie

"This is a simple vegetarian  variation on the Shepard's pie, which my mom and aunt came up with and is a much loved family  favorite for the last 40 years. Plan it as a hearty vegetarian side dish or a vegetarian main course served with a fresh salad and crusty bread "

Serves 4 people 

Ingredients:

Cottage cheese mixture

• 250 grams cottage cheese ( chopped in 1/2 inch cubes)
• 3 cloves garlic (diced finely)
• 2 medium onions (diced finely)
• 3 tomatoes (chopped finely)
• 1 capsicum(chopped finely)
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1/2 tsp garam masala 
• Salt to taste

Mashed potato mix

• 300 grams potato 
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 - 5 tbsp milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. In 1 tbsp oil stir fry garlic and onions till just translucent
2. Add capsicum and stir fry for 1 minute, then add the chopped tomatoes, the ketchup and salt,cook them for a couple of minutes till tomatoes are softened
3. Add the cottage cheese, the garam masala and cook it for 2 minutes till it is all incorporated
4. Layer the cottage cheese mixture in the bottom of a baking dish ( square  7 inch)
5. Make mashed potatoes with all the ingredients
6. Layer the mashed potato mix on top of the cottage cheese mix, such that there should be 2/3rd of cottage cheese topped with 1/3rd of mashed potato mix
7. Bake in pre-heated oven (180 deg C) for half an hour till you get a nice brown crust

Tip:

• The pie can be pre-prepared till step no 6 and covered with cling film and refrigerated till bake time
• All vegetables should be stir-fried rather quickly so they retain a bite