Cookie Shutter: In the pink of health

Or should I say the blood red of health?Distilled magenta or maybe the deepest darkest hue of pink imaginable?The pomegranates that I recently bought were beautiful.They warranted a color of their own.
Pomegranates are rich in anti-oxidants,Vitamins A and C,folic acid and other minerals.There is a pomegranate juice craze out there - with researchers saying pomegranate juice prevents cancer,heart disease, Alzheimer's and dental plaque even! So,you've got yet another good food to add to your grocery list of must buys.

The below picture is my entry for Click! the monthly food photography event hosted by the wonderful Jai and Bee of JugalBandi - the lifestyle blog that has incredibly inspirational recipes and photos.Take a look!

Click - Bi Color

Pomegranate caviar for JugalBandi's Click!

I made a simple dalimbe heasrubele kosambari with the pomegranate.The result was an extremely vibrant and colorful salad that looked almost too good to eat.I stared at it for a very long time and even swatted away my two year old's hands when he tried to steal(eat) some of it.

Kosambari is a traditional Karnataka/Kannadiga salad recipe that has split green gram dal,finely chopped cucumber,fresh coriander,lemon juice and grated fresh coconut.It is then tempered with a tadka of red/green chillies and curry leaves.You'll almost always find it served at most kannadiga weddings.

In Bangalore, on the festival day of Ram Navami, where the birth of Lord Rama is celebrated, small helpings of hesarubele kosambari and glasses of panaka are handed out for free at stalls all over the city.Panaka is a refreshing drink made with jaggery and lemon juice with a hint of cardamom in it.Sounds simple but tastes divine on a hot sweltering summer afternoon.Leaves you feeling rejuvenated and saint like.

I've eaten versions of this salad that deviate from using the traditional ingredients.Let's see now..... there was corn kosambari, mavinkai(raw mango) kosambari and even a draakshi(dried grape) kosambari.Here is my recipe for a dalimbe or pomegranate kosambari.The yellow of the hesarubele complements the beautiful red of the pomegranate pearls.The fresh green corriander and snowy white grated flecks of coconut brings out the true kannadiga flavor in this simple salad and adds to the riot of colors.It looks good.Is good for you and yes very simple to make.

The following is my entry to

Food In Colors - Express your mood by Sunshinemom

It's a great concept and she has some great vegetarian recipes - take a peek!

Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 cup of split yellow moong or green gram dal
1 pomegranate
2 tsps of finely chopped coriander/cilantro leaves
2 tsps of grated coconut
1/2 lime juiced
1/4 tsp of mustard seeds
2 red chillies
6-8 curry leaves
a pinch of hing
1 tsp of oil
salt to taste

Method

1)Wash the moong and let it soak in water for 2 hours.
2)Separate the pomegranate kernels without squishing them.
3)Drain the moong and keep aside.Gently mix this together with the pomegranate.
4)For the tadka - heat the oil in a small pan and toast the mustard seeds, red chillies and curry leaves.Add a pinch of hing to the hot oil.Remove from the flame and put over the salad.
5)Add salt and lime juice to taste.
6)Finally add the grated coconut and the chopped coriander.
7)Serve immediately or chill up to 1 hr.
Note - if you want to make this beforehand do not add the salt and lime juice until just before eating.If left to stand after the addition of salt, you'll end up with a very unappetising pink watery salad as the salt draws out all the juices of the fruit.Not pretty.