Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 large carrot, washed and peeled
- ½ red capsicum
- ½ bunch coriander, roughly chopped
- ¼ cup cashew nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- 1 toasted nori sheet, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted, plus extra to serve
- Dressing
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp finely grated ginger
- 1 tsp tamari or soy sauce
- 1 tsp honey, optional
Method
"Hmm, not sure," says eight-year-old Sophie (pictured), trying to be polite but really just wishing we were making something sweet. The look is so earnest it's hard not to abandon the entire let's-be-healthy trajectory and whip up some chocolate puddings instead. She's won over by the plan to impress mum and dad with a sophisticated choice of salad, on top of the impressive "I cooked dinner" line. The verdict⁄ What started as hesitant Tinkerbell-sized nibbles turned into honest-to-goodness mouthfuls. Get in line, mum and dad.
Wash the quinoa by rinsing it in cold water and strain well. Heat the stock in a medium-sized saucepan and add the quinoa, cooking for 15 minutes, until soft.The liquid should run dry in the bottom of the saucepan but be careful not to burn it, adding a little more stock or water as needed. Set aside.
Meanwhile, cut the carrot and capsicum into julienne strips and place in serving bowl. Add the coriander, cashew nuts, sesame seeds and quinoa.
To make the dressing, mix all ingredients and stir lightly. Dress the salad and toss lightly, sprinkle with nori and extra sesame seeds and serve.
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is an ancient grain and a relative newcomer to the Australian pantry. It's protein-packed, gluten free, full of vitamins and minerals. Yes, this is yet another superfood. Quinoa cooks in 15 minutes and you can tell when it's done because the seeds show a little white thread that curls up inside.
