Ginger and Cilantro Sweet Corn Salad

This recipe was inspired by Daddy's friend's wife, Anu Auntie. We had a scrumptious dinner at her home while we were visiting the East Coast last month. The dinner was so delicious, and in particular she prepared a ginger corn salad that was out of this world.  It was sweet, a bit spicy and had very complex Asian flavors. 

Corn is in season and it is very inexpensive right now at my local market. It's only a dollar for 4 ears. I thought it was a perfect opportunity to attempt to recreate this wonderful corn salad. I steamed and grilled the corn, cut ooff the kernels, and seasoned them with a lot of Asian flavors like ginger, soy sauce, cilantro and plum sauce. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Red Cabbage Salad with Poppy Seed and Caramelized Onion Vinaigrette

The crunch, the color; everything about this dish screams summer. Shredded red cabbage is a real eye grabber, and the vinaigrette helps brighten up the flavor of the dish. I flavored the vinaigrette with mustard, pickled garlic, sugar and a little sour cream for a velvety texture. I was inspired by my butter chicken recipe, where I fried onions, drained the oil, and mixed in sour cream. You don't have to add sour cream to the vinaigrette, but otherwise it's too healthy.

Leeks served with a Kumquat Clementine Vinaigrette

Leeks vinaigrette is a simple and healthy recipe to welcome Spring. The leeks are simply steam-cooked and then drizzled with the vinaigrette. I brightened the vinaigrette with some sweet clementines and kumquats from my garden. The zest of the citrus brings a lot of flavor.

Leeks are from the onion family but their taste is much more subtle and mild. In fact, they have a natural, gentle sweetness that can be paired very successfully with more sour, acidic flavors. If you've never had leeks, it's time to give them a try!