While salads are not the first thought when ordering food at your favorite Indian restaurant (truthfully, most will offer a kachumber style of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and onions with green chilis), salads are actually an integral part of many meals in India. Each region has their own specialty/style depending on the indigenous ingredients available and in accordance with their flavor profiles.
This quinoa salad combines flavors from India like sprouted moong beans, black chickpeas, black mustard seeds and our Green Chutney blend with quinoa and veggies to create a mouth watering, simple and nutrient packed dish. Enjoy this as an appetizer, lunch or in addition to your favorite thali.
Recipe by Indu Bapna for our Chef Series @ Home
Ingredients
1/2 c cooked quinoa (you can also use farro, whole buckwheat or even brown rice)
1tbs neutral oil
1tbs black mustard seeds
1tbs sesame seeds
1/2 cup beans/chickpeas/sprouted lentils of choice (we used sprouted moong, black chickpeas, edamame)
1/2 cup veggies of choice (we used corn, bell peppers and grated carrots)
1-2 tsp Green Chutney
Garnishes like fresh shredded coconut, cilantro and crushed peanuts
Heat oil in pan and add black mustard seeds and sesame seeds (this is the tadka).
Once seeds start popping, add in your beans and veggies.
You can do this in any order (just save the bell peppers for last if using so they don't get mushy). Cook the veggies for a few minutes so they are still crisp.
Add in the quinoa, Green Chutney, and salt to taste.
Once everything is combined, turn off the heat and add lemon juice if needed.
Garnish before serving. Can we served warm or room temperature.