Mon 8 May 2006
Seoul dwellers have in the last two weeks, jumped straight from winter into summer. Sure there was a small period of time where lighter jackets were donned, mittens and gloves forgone, but one still would need to turn the heater on at night. I guess spring fluttered away with the cherry blossoms. Today’s high in Seoul, 81. Soon the monsoon will begin, and desperately muggy nights will fight with my will to sleep.
This brings me to a culinary point; it’s time for summer salads. Not the kind tossed up with greens galore, but protein based, parsley flicked, meal in a bowl business. The first of the season? A quinoa tabbouleh.
I have always been a sucker for tabbouleh, but unless someone has been hoarding all the cracked wheat, I just can’t find it here. It isn’t like quinoa is available either (we have it shipped over from home). I guess if you were pressed you could use short grain brown rice, or even black lentils. Be sure to cook whatever grain al dente.
No matter how I try I cannot resist tossing in something extra, taking the dish from tabbouleh to something else entirely. Tonight’s pick, cubes of tart feta. Next time, maybe some garbanzo or broad beans.
If you have time (or if you can resist tearing through the bowl), letting the salad marinate overnight, imparts a lemony flavor into every last inch of the salad. Delightful.
(Sadly, our digital camera pooped out in India, who can blame it really. That country is exhausting. I’m left to document meals with film, meaning you’ll have to wait for a photo)
Quinoa Tabbouleh
2 cups quinoa, thoroughly rinsed.
32 cherry tomatoes, diced (if you have access to Roma tomatoes, by all means, use 4)
1 1/2 cups flat leaf parsley, chopped
4 Green onions, white and light green parts thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
Salt
Cook quinoa in 2 cups of water in a pot (bring quinoa and water to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes) or a rice cooker.
Spread cooked quinoa out on a plate to cool
In a large bowl mix tomatoes, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, pepper, and salt. Mix in quinoa and season to taste.
