- 225g (8oz) red or black quinoa
- 350ml (12fl oz) of cold water
- Pinch of salt
- 25g (1oz) fresh parsley, chopped
- 25g (1oz) fresh mint, chopped
- 110g (4oz) spring onions, white and green parts, chopped
- 50g (1¾oz) dried cranberries
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pomegranate, cut in half, seeds removed
- 75g (3oz) toasted pine nuts (toasted in a dry frying pan over a high heat)
- For the olive oil dressing, you will need:
- 50ml (1¾fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon honey
Rinse the red or black quinoa, whichever you are using, in a sieve under cold water for two to three minutes to remove the bitter coating. Put the quinoa in a saucepan with the cold water and the salt and add a tight-fitting lid. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 12 minutes until the quinoa is tender. Turn off the heat, but leave the lid on for 10 more minutes.
To make the dressing, mix the extra-virgin olive oil, the lemon juice and the honey. Add the dressing to the warm quinoa and allow it to cool. Then add in the chopped parsley, the chopped mint, the chopped spring onions, the dried cranberries, the grated carrots, the ground cinnamon and the ground allspice to the cooled quinoa. Mix well and season with the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Tip into a serving bowl and scatter the pomegranate seeds and the toasted pine nuts over the top.
Foodaware 