It's that time of the year again when the temperature is at a constant high and the sun is blazing, showing off its tenacity in full glory. At times like these, we often crave for cold delicacies and ditch the regular ones.

However, it is more important now than ever to get our daily intake of nutrition. While meat during this time can feel heavy and leave us with an overwhelming feeling, summer vegetables will leave us with a lighter feeling and yet a satisfied tummy.

So here are a few vegetable recipes for you to give a go this summer.      

VEGETABLE BIBIMBAP

Bibimbap is a Korean staple dish that consists of rice, assorted vegetables and sometimes meat. This is a lighter, healthier version made with vegetables only.

Ingredients

1 cup rice

1 cup cabbage

1 carrot

1 tomato

1 cucumber

300g spinach

1 tbsp kimchi

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

½ tsp chilli flakes  

½ tsp sesame seeds

For the sauce –

2 tsp gochujang

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

½ tsp vinegar

1 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp sugar

Method

Cook white rice as you normally would. For the vegetables, cut the carrot and cucumber into matchsticks and leave them aside. Cut the tomato into little strips and shred the cabbage, also prepare the spinach.

In a pan, add a teaspoon of vegetable oil and sauté the vegetables one by one. Firstly, add the carrots and season with salt and pepper for a couple of minutes only. Remove the carrots and throw in the cabbage and do the same. Repeat the process with spinach as well.

For the cucumber and tomatoes, sprinkle over salt, pepper, and chilli flakes, and mix individually. Mix all the ingredients of the sauce and fry the egg sunny side up. To assemble, place the prepared vegetables in equal servings over the rice so that you have six portions of vegetables.

Place the sunny-side egg in the centre and drizzle over the sauce. Serve this warm and mix everything together to eat!     

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Why should we eat vegetables?

RATATOUILLE

The famous dish from the titular movie Ratatouille – we've all heard about it but have we ever given it a go? It is the perfect one to make with vegetables available during summer. 

Ingredients

3 tomatoes

1 long eggplant

1 cucumber

1 carrot

For the sauce –

1 large onion

1 bell pepper

4 cloves garlic

Any leftover vegetable scraps

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp rosemary

Method

To prepare the vegetables, slice them into 2mm thickness using a mandolin including the eggplant, cucumber and carrot. For the tomatoes, blanch them and remove the skin. Carefully slice them into about 2mm thickness

For the sauce, in a large pan, add one tablespoon olive oil. Then add any leftover vegetable scraps, chopped onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Season this with salt and pepper and let it cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are soft.

Blend everything together along with a couple tablespoons olive oil and rosemary. To assemble, pour the sauce over a flat and round baking dish, just enough to cover the bottom. Then, lay the vegetables on top of each other to create one single, beautiful shingled layer.

Generously drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil over this, cover the whole thing with parchment paper leaving a hole in the centre, and let it bake at 140°C for 90 minutes. Once done, serve warm!   

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Of tomatoes and vegetables

VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS

These spring rolls are very light to eat and filled with fresh vegetables, which makes them the perfect snack for summer to munch on. 

Ingredients

12-15 sheets of rice paper

Warm water for dipping

1 carrot

1 cucumber

2 sticks okra

Pinch of salt

Pinch of turmeric

200g rice noodles

2 eggs

2 tbsp oil

For the dipping sauce –

2 tbsp smooth peanut butter

1 ½ tbsp hoisin sauce

2 tbsp hot sriracha sauce

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tbsp water

1 tsp granulated garlic

Method

Slice the carrots and cucumber into matchsticks and leave aside. Cut the okra into circles and sauté them lightly with some oil, salt, and turmeric; leave that aside as well. Next, crack the two eggs and mix them well. Take sufficient oil in a pan and make an omelette. Cut the omelette into wide strips.  

Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions. For the dipping sauce, mix together peanut butter, hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce and garlic. Add in lime juice and thin this out with water.

To assemble, dip the rice paper in warm water and place it on a tea towel. Be careful with this as rice paper has the tendency to stick everywhere. Lay out the rice paper and place the okra first. On top of that, place sheets of the omelette. Add in a mix of the other veggies and finally some noodles.

Fold the top and bottom edges first and seal the edges. Then pull from one side and enclose the edge. Roll this side-wise and wrap everything tightly. You can serve this cold as well, along with the dipping sauce. 

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Vegetable feast

SMASHED CUCUMBER SALAD

This is a very simple yet insanely delicious dish found in most Southeast Asian cuisines, which can be enjoyed on its own or as a side dish.

Ingredients

2 large cucumbers

1 tsp granulated garlic

1 ½ tsp sesame oil

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp chilli oil

Method

Cut the cucumber lengthwise into half, and then cut them into smaller, cylindrical pieces. Use the flat side of your knife or a rolling pin to smash the cucumbers lightly. Toss the cucumbers with sesame oil, salt and garlic. Then drizzle over chilli oil and give it another toss before serving.

Food & Photo: Fariha Amber