Asian Salad with Pea Shoots and Sprouted Mung Beans
This is a dish of great virtue, yet for something so virtuous it tastes pretty damn good too, and as you know, the two don’t always go hand in hand. There’s lots of different ingredients of the spouted king and I suggest your best bet is Waitrose, thery carry a good selection. If you enjoy this salad then time permitting, get into the habit of sprounting your own – its pretty straightforward when you know how.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 inch (3cm) piece of fresh turmeric
2 limes
300g pea shoots, rinsed
200g sprouted Mung beans, rinsed
100g mustard cress shoots, rinsed
100g alfalfa sprouts rinsed
30 fresh mint leaves
Handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped
2 handfuls of mixed peppery greens including arugula, watercress and mizuna
2 inch (5cm) piece of fresh ginger
For the dressing
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp ground turmeric (only if fresh turmeric is not being used in the salad)
1 fresh red chilli, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp runny honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation Instructions:
Scrape the turmeric and using a spoon to avoid taking off any excess flesh, shave the turmeric root into slivers. Put in a bowl and cover with fresh water until ready to use
Using a thin knife (it could be serrated), cut off the skin and pith of the limes (essentially your peeling the lime). When all the flesh is exposed hold the fruit in one hand and cut each segment on the inside of the membrane. Keep the lime segments in a bowl to catch any juices. Scrape the ginger and slice finely into Julienne strips.
Put the shoots and sprouts in a large bowl. Add the herbs and mixed leaves. Combine all the ingredients for the dressing. If you are using fresh turmeric, drain first, then add to the dressing; if not simply add the ground turmeric with the other dressing ingredients. (The honey in the dressing softens some of the acidity and the peppery elements of the salad.) Add the ginger, lime segments and any extra lime juice. Season with salt and black pepper.
Pour the dressing over the sprouts and leaves, and toss gently to form a vibrant, vitamin-packed combination of texture and flavours that will exercise your taste buds. Serve immediately, before the acidity of the dressing starts to wilt the leaves.
Enjoy with every mouthful, knowing that this is exceptionally good for you!
Recipe by Kumud Gandhi – Food Scientist , Writer & Broadcaster, Founder of The Cooking Academy Cookery School in Rickmansworth Hertfordshire.
Kumud Gandhi is a Nutritional Food Scientist bestselling Author, Broadcaster, and Keynote Speaker on the subject of nutritional health for productivity & performance in the workplace. In 2010 Kumud founded ‘The Cooking Academy’ a cookery school that focusses on cooking for nutritional health and wellbeing. Kumud regularly presents to international audiences on a variety of topics such as ‘Eating for Immunity and a Lifetime of Wellness’. She is an expert in the field of Wellness in the Workplace and works with organizations to create transformational change in employee health & well-being through nutrition and health coaching.
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