Thai quinoa salad with herbs and lime vinaigrette

This colourful and fresh Thai quinoa is a healthy eater’s dream! Bursting with flavours, a chock-full of protein and veggies, and low in fat. It’s a great stand-alone meal for those looking for a light lunch but also goes well alongside other Asian dishes don dinner. You can even make it a heavier meal by adding prawns or crabs!

Making this Thai quinoa salad is so straightforward. With Quinoa becoming more mainstream in the past few years, it’s available in most large groceries. It’s a high protein seed with a fluffy, slightly crunchy texture. And though It looks like couscous and is eaten like a grain, fun fact it’s actually a cousin of spinach, Swiss chard, and other leafy greens.

So if you’re looking to try something new this week, why not give this salad a go?

Serves -2

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD

• 1 cup rinsed quinoa
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 red capsicum, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1 English cucumber, seeded and diced
• 2 scallions, finely sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped mint or basil

FOR THE DRESSING

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Method

1. Add quinoa, salt and 1-2/3 cups water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is cooked. You’ll know it is done when the little “tails” sprout from the grains.
2. Transfer to a serving bowl and let cool in the refrigerator. In the meantime, make the dressing by combining the lime juice, fish sauce, vegetable oil, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved.
3. Once the quinoa is cool, add the capsicum, carrots, cucumbers, scallions, fresh herbs and dressing.
4. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, sugar and lime juice if necessary. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

This salad keeps well for several days in the fridge.