Quirky Quinoa!
Kandla Nijhowne
Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) is a wonder grain of high nutritive value, now within our reach in food shops and online. It is low in sodium and cholesterol, and a good source of magnesium, manganese and phosphorus. It cooks in a wink and blends incredibly well with various proteins and vegetables. Summer is the perfect time to incorporate this health food in our salads.
Summer Salad with Quinoa
- ¼th cup raw, uncooked quinoa
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 cup ready cooked
kabuli chana
- ¾ cup broccoli florets
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup cherry tomatoes
- ¼ cup sliced onions
- ½ tsp mustard powder
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1-1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 medium-sized bunch lettuce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Grated cheese (optional)
Method
- Very lightly blanch the broccoli in salted water, then rinse under a running tap to arrest further cooking. Drain.
- Place the quinoa in a bowl, boil the water, pour over the qinoa; cover with a lid. Keep for 20 minutes by which time the quinoa will have fluffed up.
- Use a fork to tease up the quinoa grains and to separate them out.
- Add the chana, broccoli, garlic, onion, tomato, mustard, olive oil and vinegar.
- Season with salt and pepper, stir until evenly mixed.
- Chill and serve on a bed of lettuce with a scattering of grated cheese (if using)
Note: Feel free to play around with the components of the salad. You can add carrots, chopped tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumber and corn. You can omit chana, cherry tomatoes or broccoli. Cooked chicken bits, pan seared prawns or chopped salami can also be added. Cooking procedure can vary, depending on the type of quinoa you’ve bought. With some brands you may need to cook the water and quinoa together. Follow the directions on the packet.
(Nijhowne is a Chandigarh-based culinary expert)
