This Shaved Fennel and Cumin Salad should come with a warning: Once you start making it, you can’t stop. With its use of fresh citrus, it is ideally suited to perking up the darkest of January days but I find myself craving it year round.
You can use it as a side to Indian or any cuisine. Or, toss some Jeera Prawns on top and enjoy it as a main dish. I vary the citrus I use with blood oranges when they’re in season, Ruby Red grapefruits or juicy Navel oranges being my favourites. I even use the dressing in my coleslaws from time to time.
This dish also goes well with the Prawns and Halibut in Coconut Cream I posted yesterday. It’s number two of seven of my favourite Noorbanu Nimji recipes. Stay tuned for the rest all this week.
PrintShaved Fennel and Cumin Salad
Crunchy Fennel, bright citrus, smooth avocado brought together with a perfectly seasoned dressing.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salads
- Method: chopping
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs
3 blood oranges (may substitute navel oranges or grapefruit)
For the dressing
1 finely diced shallot
1 teaspoon honey
2 Tablespoons lime juice
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon Indian chilli powder
Salt and pepper – to taste
For the presentation
2 avocados
Juice and zest of 1 lime
Salt and pepper – to taste
Instructions
1. Remove the outer layer of the fennel bulb and chop off the tops, reserving the fronds.
2. Slice the fennel bulbs as thinly as possible, place them in a large bowl and set aside.
3. Tip: Use a mandolin if you have one.
4. Remove the top and bottom of the oranges with a paring knife and then slice the peel –including the inner pith – away in strips from the sides of the orange. Cut the orange into horizontal slices.
5. Prepare the dressing by whisking the shallot, honey, lime juice, mayonnaise, olive oil, cumin and chilli powder in a bowl.
6. Taste the dressing and season it with salt and pepper to your liking.
7. Toss the dressing with the fennel.
8. Place the oranges on a platter in a circle and then stack the fennel in the middle of the oranges.
9. Halve and slice the avocados and then place them on the fennel.
10.Drizzle with the fresh lime juice and sprinkle with the zest.
11.Sprinkle with a little more salt (Tip: Maldon Salt or Fleur de Sel are finishing salts that work beautifully here) and freshly ground pepper.
12.Enjoy as a side salad with grilled foods or add Jeera Prawns on top and enjoy for lunch.
Keywords: Shaved Fennel and Cumin Salad
The second edition of A Spicy Touch – Family Favourites from Noorbanu Nimji’s Kitchen is now available across Canada and for the first time at select booksellers in the United States including Barnes and Noble, Powell’s City of Books, Amazon, Bookshop.org and IndieBooks.org .
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