Summer fruits salad in mason jar

Nature has a beautiful way of nourishing us every season by bringing an assortment of fruits and vegetables. In winter, markets are lush with a variety of greens, bright red carrots, juicy strawberries and fresh figs. I look forward to my weekly trips to the market to savour the smells and the sight of such exotic bounty.

Come summer and the king of fruits, mango dominates the markets. Everywhere you look its mango in all shapes and sizes. Alphonso rules the market but for me, its payri any day. The best way to eat a payri, I soon learnt was to gently squeeze the outer skin and relishing its sweet juice right of its mouth. The hands would soon be drenched in the mango juice but that is what it is all about isn’t it?

And mango is such a versatile fruit, combine it with green onions, chilly, capsicum and you have a delicious salsa. Or make a curry out of it to be enjoyed with hot steaming rice. But its not all about mangoes in summer. Fruit vendors roam around the street tempting you with juicy red watermelon with few slices cut open for you to see the hidden pulp inside. Not leaving behind, vegetable vendors would call out to you with their bounty of cucumbers to be enjoyed with a sprinkle of chaat masala and chilly powder. Yum, yum, yum!!

The high-water content in watermelon and cucumber goes perfectly well with the richness of mango and the tartness of pineapple. And for all of it to come together, what is better than a zesty lemon-ginger dressing with mint leaves?

So, let’s get ready and make a healthy and delightful salad that can be prepared quickly. Carry it along for a pot luck or enjoy whenever you want straight out of the jar. For one more of my jar idea, check my recipe of pani puri in a jar!