Last week, I was one of the judges for a salad contest held in Manhattan Associates.  The participants proved that techies are not only good with computers but also make great chefs.  3 persons emerged winners in the contest that was judged by Arzooman Irani, Executive Chef, Vivanta by Taj, Whitefield, Subramaniam, Senior Director of the company, and yours truly.

Here’s the recipe of one of the winners, Arunava Deshamukhya –

THE TRIO

This salad represents 3 moods – Fresh, Energetic and Playful; which makes a great start for the day. Idea is to offer a choice of mood enhancing breakfast. There are three parts of this salad as detailed below – together they constitute the dish.

Part 1: Fresh
Fresh mango with Basil Salad

Ingredients:
2 ripe alphonso mangoes
1 small bunch basil
1 bunch baby spinach
1 medium ripe avocado
1 handful of roasted nuts
White vinegar dressing

Method of preparation:
Cut mango and avocado into small chunks. Mix all ingredients, add salt and sugar to taste. Add vinegar dressing.

Part 2: Energetic
Egg Salad

Ingredients:
4 hard boiled eggs
1 cup boiled kidney beans
1 cup boiled pasta
1 cup mayonnaise
2 spoons lemon juice
1 bunch parsley
2 large lettuce leaves

Method of preparation:
Cut egg into small pieces. Chop parsley. Mix above ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Part 3:Playful
Egg Plant and Mushroom Salad

Ingredients:
2 large eggplant
20 button mushrooms
2 large slices of bread cut into cubes and deep fried in olive oil
1 red bell pepper
10 cherry tomatoes
1 cup assorted salad leaves

Method of preparation:
Slice and fry egg plant. Cut in half and sauté mushroom. Slice bell pepper and sauté. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Mix all ingredients with assorted salad leaves, add salt to taste. Add salad seasoning.