In a world where everything needs to look aesthetic and impressing faceless social media users is the norm, it is no wonder that with food, too, the camera eats first. And so, an Instagram-worthy salad is not that big of a shocker. The veggie-packed dish has had its ups and downs, with its fair share of haters, however, it has made an amazing comeback, and how!
A salad made with blackberries with feta cheese and edible flowers (instagram)
A new trend seen online is that of the aesthetically pleasing cubed salad placed in a checkered board pattern that no doubt requires some serious knife work and skill. Tiny cubes of vegetables or fruits, along with cheese. are placed in alternating patterns on a plate. A minimum of three different types of ingredients are needed to make this look camera-worthy. Getting all the pieces to line up together can also be time-consuming, but we do it for the ‘gram.
A collection of cubes
The salad can be made with any kind of fruit, vegetable and cheese. All that matters is you cut them up into bite-sized cubes that are adorable to look at and are aesthetic enough for social media.
You could use a dazzling array of melons – watermelon, cantaloupe, muskmelon, and pair it with feta, which is reminiscent of a Greek or Mediterranean-inspired salad. Red wine vinegar, finely sliced olives and mint leaves complete this salad.
Another variation can also include watermelon and cucumber, paired with cubed feta cheese. Thinly sliced red onions, mint and a drizzle of olive oil along with a hearty pinch of sea salt would create a delicious salad, too.
Cubed watermelon with cucumber and feta cheese salad(Instagram)
You could even take the typical Indian kachumber and elevate it by cubing it up instead of slicing and dicing it up. What used to be a fast and quick way to get your daily intake of veggies while also adding a refreshing side dish to the quintessential Indian fare of roti-sabzi or dal-rice, could now be given the royal treatment with a new slice of the knife. Use tomatoes, cucumber and onions for your main components. You can add a sprinkle of kala namak, olive oil and chopped chillies.
Getting back on the cheese train, don’t sleep on the humble beetroot. It is a symphony of flavours when roasted and served with any cheese like feta or burrata. While the soft cheese ball filled with stracciatella (mozzarella and cream) isn’t ideal for this precise dish, feta works well. Place baby basil leaves on each beet cube, along with a sprinkle of black cumin and an olive oil-based dressing and serve it.
Sweet, no holds bar
The popular superfood that is packed full of nutrients, the avocado, can also be transformed into a symmetrical solider for this salad as well. These salads aren’t limited only to veggies, as you can also use different berries and stone fruits as well. Blackberries, pitted cherries along with plums and peaches can also be cut up into tiny cubes and arranged on a platter. Fruits like apples, mangoes, bananas, kiwis, dragonfruits, etc can also make for a tasty fruit salad.
