Our neighbour in Mumbai, late Mrs. Flora D’Souza, was a nurse by profession and we called her nurse aunty. She was very passionate about cooking and baking. In her kitchen, I would enjoy watching her whip up cake batter with an electric beater. This gadget was new to me since at home science college, we were taught to use a wooden spoon to beat the various ingredients for a cake. For my eldest sister’s engagement party, nurse aunty prepared some dishes. One was this salad called “bird of paradise”.
Basically, Russian salad is covered with a layer of mashed potatoes, shaped and dressed to resemble a bird. Unique and perfect for a special occasion or celebration. A show stopper to adorn the buffet table. The creamy mashed potatoes with the surprise pleasant bite from the vegetables, sweetness of the apples is a party in the mouth. Absolutely delicious, a hit, crowd pleaser and memorable. Our family can never forget this salad. Thanks to nurse aunty who is always loved and remembered for her warmth, kindness and culinary skills. She was definitely one of my inspirations!!!
Basically, Russian salad is covered with a layer of mashed potatoes, shaped and dressed to resemble a bird. Unique and perfect for a special occasion or celebration. A show stopper to adorn the buffet table. The creamy mashed potatoes with the surprise pleasant bite from the vegetables, sweetness of the apples is a party in the mouth. Absolutely delicious, a hit, crowd pleaser and memorable. Our family can never forget this salad. Thanks to nurse aunty who is always loved and remembered for her warmth, kindness and culinary skills. She was definitely one of my inspirations!!!
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Bird of Paradise
(Serves 8)
Salad
Ingredients:
1 cup green beans (measure of diced small cubes)
1 cup carrots (measure of diced small cubes)
1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cups cooked ham (measure of small pieces)
2 apples
3 cups water
6 tablespoons Hellmann's mayonnaise
freshly cracked black pepper powder
salt
Method:
Wash the diced carrots and green beans in a colander. Transfer to a saucepan with 3 cups of water and salt. When three-fourth done, add the green peas and cook for a minute or two. In case of fresh peas, include them earlier.
Drain through a sieve and run cold water over the vegetables to stop them from cooking. Set sieve over a bowl to eliminate any liquid. Pat dry with an absorbent paper towel.
In a bowl, add the ham and vegetables.
Wash, peel and cube apples discarding the core. Mix with the rest of the ingredients in the bowl. Then, stir in the mayonnaise, pepper powder and if desired, add salt.
Set aside.
Note:
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
12 medium-sized potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated cheese (of your choice)
freshly cracked black pepper
salt
Method:
Wash, pressure cook potatoes with some salt and water for a couple of whistles or till tender. Drain out water and peel potatoes. Pass warm potatoes through a ricer.
In a saucepan, heat butter and milk until butter is melted. Blend with riced potatoes until smooth and creamy. Season with cheese, pepper and salt.
Keep aside.
Note:
Assembling:
On a serving platter, place the Russian salad slightly higher at one end and lower at the other.
Take some mashed potatoes at a time, flatten and top all over the salad in the shape of a bird's body. Set aside a little mashed potatoes to form a couple of baby chicks later.
Decorate the body with cucumber slices with a piece of carrot for the neck, cloves for eyes and red chilli with a piece of toothpick to form the beak. Pierce the top of the head with a toothpick and cucumber end shaped as a crown. A pineapple crown can be placed at the rear to form the tail.
Arrange lettuce leaves all around the bird.
With the reserved mashed potatoes, mix in a few drops of yellow colour. Shape into small chicks with projections at the sides as wings. Pierce peppercorns for eyes and a piece of red chilli to form the beak. Keep chicks at the side of the main bird.
Serve Bird of Paradise on the buffet table.
Note:
(Serves 8)
Salad
Ingredients:
1 cup green beans (measure of diced small cubes)
1 cup carrots (measure of diced small cubes)
1 cup green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cups cooked ham (measure of small pieces)
2 apples
3 cups water
6 tablespoons Hellmann's mayonnaise
freshly cracked black pepper powder
salt
Method:
Wash the diced carrots and green beans in a colander. Transfer to a saucepan with 3 cups of water and salt. When three-fourth done, add the green peas and cook for a minute or two. In case of fresh peas, include them earlier.
Drain through a sieve and run cold water over the vegetables to stop them from cooking. Set sieve over a bowl to eliminate any liquid. Pat dry with an absorbent paper towel.
In a bowl, add the ham and vegetables.
Wash, peel and cube apples discarding the core. Mix with the rest of the ingredients in the bowl. Then, stir in the mayonnaise, pepper powder and if desired, add salt.
Set aside.
Note:
- Peel the apples last and incorporate to avoid browning.
- Cook vegetables until they are tender-crisp. Do not overcook until mushy.
- Ensure that the apples are not overripe.
- Regular mayonnaise can be replaced with low-fat or homemade mayonnaise.
- Cooked diced chicken can be used in the salad.
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
12 medium-sized potatoes
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup grated cheese (of your choice)
freshly cracked black pepper
salt
Method:
Wash, pressure cook potatoes with some salt and water for a couple of whistles or till tender. Drain out water and peel potatoes. Pass warm potatoes through a ricer.
In a saucepan, heat butter and milk until butter is melted. Blend with riced potatoes until smooth and creamy. Season with cheese, pepper and salt.
Keep aside.
Note:
- Potatoes were pressure cooked in an instant pot for 3 minutes with steam released immediately on completion.
Assembling:
On a serving platter, place the Russian salad slightly higher at one end and lower at the other.
Take some mashed potatoes at a time, flatten and top all over the salad in the shape of a bird's body. Set aside a little mashed potatoes to form a couple of baby chicks later.
Decorate the body with cucumber slices with a piece of carrot for the neck, cloves for eyes and red chilli with a piece of toothpick to form the beak. Pierce the top of the head with a toothpick and cucumber end shaped as a crown. A pineapple crown can be placed at the rear to form the tail.
Arrange lettuce leaves all around the bird.
With the reserved mashed potatoes, mix in a few drops of yellow colour. Shape into small chicks with projections at the sides as wings. Pierce peppercorns for eyes and a piece of red chilli to form the beak. Keep chicks at the side of the main bird.
Serve Bird of Paradise on the buffet table.
Note:
- The bird can be decorated with a spring onion. White part to form the head and neck of the bird, whereas the green stalks at the rear for the tail.
- Entire body can be adorned with thin capsicum rings, each enclosing a cooked carrot round with a small hole in the centre that is filled with a boiled green pea.
- Above two decorative ideas were done by nurse aunty.
- Two English cucumbers were used to decorate the bird.
