Warm Quinoa and tenderstem broccoli salad

Rainbow food series – Green

I am not sure whether this is a genuine salad or not but at a time when I am desperate for fresh winter warming green goodness, this will just have to do as a salad. This dish definitely falls into the cosmopolitan category of my Afro-cosmopolitan recipes. When it comes to being encouraged to eat up my healthy veggies and fibres, I go for an Asian style of seasoning as this will often give life to the taste.

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa
2 cups boiling hot water
Pinch of salt
400g tenderstem broccoli
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp ginger
1 tbsp fish sauce (substitute with soy if vegetarian)
1 tbsp oyster sauce (substitute with soy if vegetarian)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 chilli pepper
1 tbsp olive oil

Method

1. Cook the quinoa as instructed on the pack. You would typically need to wash the quinoa in cold water in order to remove some of its natural soapy taste.
2. Heat up the quinoa in a pot (initially without water). When this browns slightly, add 2 cups of boiling hot water.
3. Bring to the boil then allow to simmer for 15 minutes. The quinoa will absorb all the water.
4. Meanwhile, crush the garlic and finely chop the ginger. Lightly fry these in 1 tablespoon of oil in a hot pan.
5. Trim the tips of the broccoli stems if necessary and add these to the pan to fry.
6. Quickly add the Asian sauces along with the chilli. I sliced my chilli lengthwise.
7. Toss in the cooked quinoa and serve.

I enjoy this as a rice substitute.