Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• ½ cup fusilli (spiral pasta)
• 4-5 broccoli florets
• 1 tomato, large, halved, deseeded, finely chopped
• 1 yellow capsicum, medium-sized, halved, deseeded, finely chopped
• 1 cucumber, medium-sized, peeled, finely chopped
• 7-8 black olives, quartered
• 60 g cottage cheese (paneer), chopped into small cubes
• ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 8-10 mint leaves, fresh, torn
• 3 sprigs coriander leaves, fresh, chopped
• Salt to taste
• Black pepper powder to taste

Method

1. Bring 3 cups of water to boil in a pan; add the pasta and cook on medium heat until nearly done (al dente). Drain and wash under cool water. Drain again. Toss the warm pasta with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
2. Meanwhile, bring 1½ cups of water to the boil in another small pan and add the broccoli florets. Cook for 4-5 minutes (or until the broccoli just turns bright green); drain. Rinse in cold water to prevent it from cooking further (also known as blanching). Chop into smaller pieces.
3. Put the pasta, broccoli, tomato, capsicum, cucumber, olives and cottage cheese in a bowl. Toss once lightly.
4. In a separate bowl, mix the juice of the lemon with olive oil, salt, and pepper powder.
5. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Add the mint leaves and coriander leaves; toss once more. Serve.

Source note: Adapted from Isha Foundation’s A Taste of Well-Being (Harper Element, 2016).