Welcome back!

I hope your weekend is going well and you are looking forward to the Bank Holiday Monday?  Eid Mubarak to all who read this from Ghana and the UAE, and indeed, other parts of the world.  May Allah fulfil all your wishes!!!

Today, I want to share a salad recipe I created with you.  It's my representation of my dear country in culinary form.  I love it and hope it brings a smile to your mouth too!🙂

Red, Gold, Green Salad

This is a cheerfully vibrant and extremely filling salad using three colourful main ingredients which also happen to be the colours of the Ghana flag – red, gold and green and of course the kidney beans represent the Black Star!  It uses simple fresh ingredients of red tomatoes and /or red apples, yellow peppers and /or shredded carrots and green lettuce and /or green grapes. The eggs and onions are optional!  To make this salad, this is what you have to do:

Difficulty and servings

Easy, Serves 6

Preparation and Cooking times

Preparation time: 30 minutes, No cooking involved

You will need

1 large bunch of fresh and crispy Lettuce, washed and torn into bite-size pieces

2 large red Tomatoes cut into bite-size cubes

1 large red Apple, cored and cut into bite-size cubes and steeped in lemon juice

2 fresh yellow Bell peppers (Sweet peppers) cut into bite size pieces.

1 large yellow Tomatoes, cut into bite size cubes (optional)

1 fresh Carrot, shredded into thin slices or matchsticks, (julienned)

 1 large Onion cut into thin rings or 1 Spring onion, cut into 1 inch lengths (optional)

50g fresh baby Spinach, washed and torn into bite-size pieces (optional)

2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped

100g seedless green Grapes

½ can of cooked red Kidney beans, drained

A sprinkle of Salt to taste (if needed)

For the dressing, you will need

2tbs Balsamic vinegar

2tbs Soya sauce

1 Stock cube, mixed with a little boiling water, stirred and cooled

1 tsp Fish sauce (optional)

2tbs Apple juice

3 tbsp Olive oil (any choice of oil will do)

Method:

1. Mix all the salad dressing ingredients in a small bowl, cover and keep in the fridge
2. Arrange all the ingredients for the salad in a large glass bowl, making sure that same colour ingredients are grouped together.  Keep in the fridge until needed.
3. Just before serving, put the dressing in a clean spray bottle and spray on the salad or simply sprinkle the dressing.
4. Adjust seasoning if necessary and serve.

Monica’s Tips:

This is a simple but elegant vegetarian salad that can be served to meat eaters as well.  Serve on its own, with buttered bread slices or bread rolls or as part of a meal.  You may also serve with a can of Tuna chunks in oil as an alternative for meat eaters.  Replace yellow tomatoes with diced yellow bell peppers (sweet peppers) if necessary.  Leave out the eggs, tuna and fish sauce if making for vegetarians.

As ever, I would like to know how you got on with this Red, Gold, Green Salad.  Kindly send photos of your recipe, if possible, when you and your friends are doing an African themed party or a Ghanaian evening or wedding!!! Please send to africaonyourplate.simplesite.com

Whatever you are doing this weekend,

Happy Entertaining!