Quinoa Salmon Poke Bowl. Photos: Alicia Ting Chow
By: Alicia Ting Chow
Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) is healthy heart food. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids and dietary fibre, it’s a complex carbohydrate that gets digested slowly. Regarded by Incans of ancient Peru as a sacred food, quinoa is essentially seeds, prepared and eaten as grains. A versatile ingredient, it’s delicious as a poke bowl which is primaarily a raw fish salad.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Cost: $25.00
Difficulty: 2/5
Serves: 3
A: Quinoa, Salmon & Vegetables
1 cup quinoa*
1 tablespoon coconut oil
300g sashimi-grade salmon, diced
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
250g red/purple cabbage, shredded
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
1 Japanese cucumber, peeled and diced
2 litres water
B: Seasoning
½ teaspoon fermented beancurd
¼ teaspoon sambal belacan (chilli paste with fermented shrimp paste)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
C: Garnish
1 tablespoon minced ginger sauce
1 scallion, finely diced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds (mixture of white and black)
DIRECTIONS:
1. Rinse quinoa* under running water to remove bitterness. Bring 2½ cups water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour quinoa in and cook for 10-15 minutes.
2. When half the liquid has been absorbed, reduce heat. Using a spatula, fluff up quinoa to loosen grains. Allow it to continue simmering until liquid is almost absorbed.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked quinoa onto a large plate. Allow it cool for 5 minutes.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, blend B ingredients with a spoon.
5. Pour sauce over diced salmon that has been placed in a bowl. Toss until salmon is evenly coated.
6. Pour coconut oil into cooled quinoa. Mix evenly using a spoon.
7. Divide quinoa between 3 deep serving bowls.
8. To assemble: pile cabbage, mango, cucumber and marinated salmon on top of quinoa. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
9. Dot salmon with 1 teaspoon ginger sauce per bowl. Garnish before serving.
TIP: Cooked quinoa should be kept refrigerated in a tightly sealed container. It can last up to a week. Substitute quinoa with rice if desired — measure 1 cup Japanese white rice and cook in a rice cooker with 1.5 cups of water.
TECHNIQUE: Store-bought quinoa is usually pre-washed – check food packaging. If not, always rinse quinoa under cold water. This is necessary to remove saponin, a natural coating which tastes bitter when the seeds are cooked. Fluffing up the quinoa midway during cooking ensures a delicate puffed up texture.
Alicia is a passionate food stylist and a recipe developer whose focus is on healthy eating to keep heart, body and mind in check. She also runs her own Instagram and recipe blog.
www.itsaliciatingchow.com/blog
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