Eating seasonably is something we should all be striving to do, not only as a way to reduce our carbon footprint, but also so that we can avoid paying a premium for food that is scarcer or has travelled further. Here in Britain we’re spoiled when it comes to fruit and veg, and when one thing goes out of season it’s invariably replaced by something just as delicious that’s come into season, so as well as always having something available, we have an excuse to change up our eating habits and add some variety to our daily cooking.
Right now, spinach and beetroot are readily available, but rather than boil spinach and put pickled beetroot (that was produced months ago) into a sandwich, pair them together in this great salad with an Asian twist! This is just one of the recipes we use in our Advanced Indian Class here at The Cooking Academy.
Ingredients:
250g Baby/Young Spinach leaves
80g Beetroot – cut into julienne strips
1 tsp Coriander Seeds – Roughly milled
1 Dried Red Chilli
2 tsp Garlic
½ tsp Turmeric
½ tsp Salt
30g Red Skinned Peanuts – roasted and roughly chopped
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
1 Medium Finely-Chopped Onion
2 Small Tomatoes, chopped.
Instructions:
Lightly roast the coriander seeds and the whole chilli for a few minutes either in a wok in an oven. Crush them in a pestle and mortar until they resemble a coarse powder. Set aside.
Roast the red skinned peanuts separately and when cooled crush them a little and blow away the excess skin shells, set this aside.
Heat the oil in a deep pan or wok and add the crushed chilli and coriander. Allow it to sizzle for 30 seconds or until you smell the gentle aroma, then add the chopped garlic and onions and cook until lightly golden brown for approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Now add the turmeric, salt and tomatoes. Stir in to blend the colours.
Add the beetroot, followed a minute later by the spinach. Gently fold the two into the mixture, allowing them to take on the onions and spices.
Just as the spinach is beginning to wilt, remove from the heat and sprinkle on the peanuts. Toss gently and serve immediately.
TIP: You can also use Red Chard in place of Spinach and Beetroot if it’s available!
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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