This crunchy sweet and spicy preparation is the first dish that arrives when you are dining at a Chinese restaurant. Kimchi is a general term for any preserved vegetables (that are usually eaten in the winter when vegetables are scarce). You can also use cucumber and carrots strips along with the cabbage. Just remember to adjust the other ingredients proportionately.

Onions are one of the oldest cultivated vegetables and are available throughout the year. Small white onions are best suited for this recipe as they are mild in flavour and do not colour the pickling liquor. Pickled baby onions have been popularly eaten throughout India. Here they have been salted in spiced and sweetened vinegar. Shallots or Madras onions can be treated in the same way. I have also added some garlic cloves for additional flavour and aroma. This pickle stays well for 2 to 3 months and it becomes sour with the passage of time. You can store it in the refrigerator to slow down its deterioration.

A barbeque is a perfect occasion to let your hair down and mingle with guests in the comfortable and natural ambience of a garden or outdoor picnic spot. With a little bit of creativity, it is possible to create numerous barbeque treats for vegetarians too. Here is one such interesting combination of crisp paneer balls with a deliciously soft interior, dunked in pungent barbeque sauce. Your guests are sure to fall in love with the paneer balls in barbeque sauce.

This salad is an excellent choice for a working lunch as it keeps well for sometime without refrigeration. Packed with fibre, iron and carbohydrates it will keep you "full" for a few hours. The innovative dressing is flavourful without being loaded with oil.

A simple yet fancy finger food that fits a lazy Saturday afternoon just as well as a party for adults, fried bean curd with hot and sweet dip can be prepared quite easily by anybody. Use your creativity to make this in varied shapes, and serve with other dips or sauces too!

Tangy tomato pulp spiked up with a fiery combo of spices and balanced with the right amount of sugar, the sweet and sour tomato relish is a wonderful accompaniment for rotis and parathas. It can be served as a tasteful and nutritious dip for the crunchy, munchy finger foods that your kids are sure to indulge in often!

A delicately flavoured salad which could also double up as a substantial meal. If buffalo mozzarella is difficult to find, you can substitute with feta cheese, which is a slightly salty fresh cheese if greek origin. Traditionally, pinenuts are used in pesto-but cashews or pistachios do just as well. This pesto can also be used to make a delicious pasta dish too.

A roomali roti wrap with a right balance of flavours arising from mushrooms, peanuts, chick peas, lemon grass and khimchi salad.

Italian cuisine is a rather diverse one, with options ranging from aesthetic, herby dishes and luxurious cheesy ones, to tangy and saucy options. Penne with Cheesy Vegetables is one such exciting option dominated by cheese and loads of veggies flavoured with garlic, chilli flakes and of course, pepper. Adding corn flour dissolved in milk gives it a very creamy texture and pleasant mouth-feel. It is a satiating meal-in-a-bowl perfect for a busy day when you do not have time to cook up something elaborate.

Pear, apples and rocket leaves salad is an exotic one, which combines pears and apples with rocket leaves. The fruits are used unpeeled, adding to the visual appeal as well as health quotient. A mix-in of caramelised walnuts adds a tasty crunch to the salad, while the olive oil and vinegar based dressing adds some tang. In all, this is a very tempting offering that will be loved by all.

Strawberry rocket leaves and caramelized walnut salad, a perfect hearty summer salad, bittersweet rocket (arugula)leaves combined with the sweet strawberries flavourfully tossed, topped with muesli and caramelized walnuts is sure to be enjoyed.

If your palate rejoices at the sight of fiery treats, then this Stir Fry Noodles in Black Sauce is just perfect for you. Noodles , along with sliced capsicum, other veggies and bean sprouts, is perked up with a really pungent combination of sauces like Hoisin sauce, soya sauce and vinegar. Sesame seeds, a very popular garnish in Chinese cuisine, unfurls its magic in this dish too, creating a really crisp and aromatic sensation that is sure to tickle your taste buds.

The Citrus Kale Apple and Feta Salad is an exotic salad with a really feisty flavour. It combines colourful, crunchy and juicy ingredients, which contrast and compete to help each other shine! From vibrant kale and soothing apple to zesty orange, tangy black grapes and rustic walnuts, this salad has a mind-blowing assortment of ingredients. The citrusy and pungent dressing of vinegar, oranges and cumin powder does justice to the other ingredients, making this salad a winner in all aspects. Make sure you serve this refreshing salad immediately after tossing as the fruits will start releasing water soon and you will lose the fresh texture. Try other kale recipes like the Kale and Apple Salad and Palak, Kale and Apple Juice .

In the past decade or so, several ingredients that were once unheard of in India started becoming easily available in supermarkets and specialty/ gourmet food stores. Pecan nuts is one such. Loaded with mono-unsaturated fats such as oleic acid along with phenolic antioxidants that helps reduce the risk of heart disease, this nut is a good one to include in your diet – and this yummy salad is a great way to do it. The Baby Spinach, Apple and Pecan Salad is an energetic bowlful bursting with flavour. This crunchy salad combines apples and spinach with crunchy pecans and a unique sweet and salty dressing. It is a treasure-chest loaded with vitamins and minerals such as manganese, potassium, calcium , iron , magnesium , Zinc , and selenium, which offer wonderful health benefits. Definitely a must-try! Also have a go at other salads like the Apple Almond and Celery Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing or Masoor, Beets, Zucchini , Peppers Lunch Salad .