Who does not love the white and creamy condiment called mayonnaise? It is hugely popular in the preparation of snacks like burgers, sandwiches, salads, cupcakes, and dips. It is traditionally made with egg yolk, oil, and vinegar. To enhance taste, mustard and spices can also be added to it. While now it is commonly seen as a fast-food ingredient, previously it was used more as a dip, popularly in Spain and France. What makes it tastier than cheese and butter is that it has a unique blend of sweet and salty flavors. It greatly improves the taste of vegetables, which justifies its use in salads, rolls, and wraps, besides adding a rich taste to burgers, buns, and bread bases.
What makes healthy mayonnaise popular in India is the fact that nearly 42% of our population is vegetarian, and mayonnaise is ideally used invegetarian fare for its versatility and taste. The following are some interesting ways to use mayonnaise in your food:
a. Munching- dipping boring vegetable sticks in eggless mayo will make them taste delicious. If you want to skip the 100 calories that one tbsp of mayonnaise contains, you can make your own dip with hung curd and mayonnaise for a guilt-free indulgence.
b. Lunchbox savior- your kid’s boring lunch can get an instant makeover with just a simple recipe with mayonnaise. Layer his/her mini buns, chapattis, pizza bases and idlis with mayonnaise and they will look forward to their lunch boxes more than ever! If you are packing pasta for lunch, a dollop of mayo will make it creamier thus delighting their taste buds.
c. Treating unexpected guests- have unannounced guests at home, with nothing interesting in your refrigerator? Simply spread mayo between crackers, serve it as a dip along with bread sticks/rusks, or try recipes such as mayo cutlet or mayo omelet. Your guests will love it!
d. Family time grub- you can add an interesting touch to popcorn by tossing it with mayo, oregano, and garlic powder. You can also mix mayo and cream cheese together, add some chopped herbs and serve as a dip with nachos and chips. French toast or simple garlic bread, when accompanied by mayo, also tastes great.
e. Health-conscious option- go for eggless mayonnaise if you want to stay away from animal fat and cholesterol. Since it is a calorie-rich food, over-indulgence is not a good idea. Also, a healthy recipe with veg mayonnaise is to make a dressing of mayo, lemon juice, honey or maple syrup, and pepper powder (all in limited quantities), and toss your greens into it.