Jodha Akbar...in a Salad

Connotations huh!

I didn't want to also add "in a Margarita glass"....so this blog post would be listed as "Jodha Akbar...in a salad...in a Margarita glass".Did Akbar indulge in the partaking of liquor?(the language needs to be mellifluous when we speak of or speak with royalty no??)I know not...but the margarita glass is too pretty to let it pass by....

Why Jodha Akbar?The poster of the movie showed and incredibly handsome Hritik Roshan and an ethereal Aishwarya Bachchan.Looking even more beatific in their gorgeous jewellery.

More than the story line I'm sure most women must have gone absolutely gaga over the neck piece that Ash was wearing.This will  refresh your memory...

The rubies ,the pearls and somewhere you'll see the emeralds.Personally I Love the colour green.....not that much in love with the spinach,but then that's a necessary evil.This salad is just like a set of jewels stringed together.

How it came about?Mother dear trying to feed her two daughters spinach...of course.It wasn't to make either of us as strong as Popeye,only to help our poor fatigued eyes.

Enough of the history,the making is more interesting.

For  the 

Jodha Akbar...in a Salad...

you need

250 gms fresh spinach

1 pomegranate -seeded(we only wil be using the seeds you know)

100 gms fresh Cottage Cheese/Paneer(home made is best)

1 tspn pepper corns coarsely ground

salt 

a few drops of Tabasco 

2 teaspoons white sesame seeds

juice of 1 lemon

here are the seeds of the pomegranate,not that good a yield.This fruit is offered to Goddess Durga,she loves the red seeds,and they are bursting with iron and vitamin C.

That's the spinach,well washed and waiting.We are going to blanch the spinach,and to do so,the first thing to  is to put a sauce pan of water with a teaspoon of salt up to boil.Also keep a pan of cold ,iced water for the end of the blanching process.

When the water comes to a rolling boil,drop a handful of the spinach into the water,in a minute the water will come back to the boil.This is all the time that is needed to blanch the spinach.

That's the colour now,indication enough to take it out.

With  a slotted spoon or a poni as is known in the north quickly gather the spinach and dump it in the cold water.Repeat the process till you use up all the spinach.

Squeeze out all the water out of the spinach, and chop as finely as you can.You will need to unravel the spinach.You don't want clumps .....the poor veggie has just recovered from an ice cold bath.Show it some love.

The Cottage Cheese has been cubed into the same size as the pomegranate seeds,and that's the chopped and separated spinach.

You may BAKE the sesame seeds,but,I'm always in a hurry.So,toasted sesame seeds they were for me.They will pop,change colour and begin to smell wonderful...really nutty aromas will arise from the black pan......

Bringing visions of winter and popcorn and til or sesame  laddoos....

Thats all for another day.

Now all the above into a salad bowl,with the salt and the pepper.

Now a drizzle of the Tabasco sauce and lemon juice.Give it a good mix.

And now serve...

This salad does not need any oil to help absorb the nutrients.Why?Because of the sesame seeds,they are loaded with Good fats.....that's why.I was not about to answer why with "because the sky is so high.".That I leave to irritable elder siblings.

This is one of those things,you know pretty and loaded with benefits .Not like a Bimbette...all good looks and no brains.

Enjoy the Jodha Akbar...in a Salad as a mid morning snack or as a meal.Sit in the garden and watch natures bounty as you eat what else but natures bounty.

Any suggestions about salads or whatever you'd want me to make are always welcome.

So what are you baking today???