I’ll admit that after we finally finished the photo shooting for my cook book, I was totally fed up with cooking and creating recipes. Today, I woke up ready to create something new. Right now, I need to make sure that I don’t pop: I just ate the entire contents of the bowl pictured above. You can enjoy this macrobiotic summer salad warm or cold – both delicious.
Quinoa can now often be locally sourced, which makes me even more excited about cooking with it. Shiitake mushrooms regulate the chi and bring yin and yang into balance. They also work to dissolve old fats stored in our system, give strength and counter fatigue. They contain loads of protein, making them especially good for vegetarians and vegans.
Ingredients for two servings //
2 cups quinoa
4 cups water
1 tsp. vegetable broth
4 shiitake mushrooms
2-3 tbsp. roasted sesame oil
1-2 tbsp. shoyu (soy sauce)
2 tbsp. dried algae like hiziiki or wakame (I bought this mix at the health food store)
1 cup cooked corn (fresh or from a glass)
1 cup cooked lentils or beans (fresh or from a glass)
3-4 inches of leek
6 radishes
2 tbsp. sprouts
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
a bit of mache or arugula (a handful)
How to make the macrobiotic summer salad
Wash the shiitakes and soak them in water for at least two hours.
Wash the quinoa and cook with the four cups of water the vegetable broth for 15-20 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed.
Slice the radishes thinly with a grater. Wash the leek and also slice thinly.
Wash the algae well, then soak for five to ten minutes. Cook according to package instructions. I prefer this mix for the salad, which you can find in the macrobiotic section of your health food store.
Now cut the shiitakes in fine strips and fry them for a few minutes in the roasted sesame oil, adding the soy sauce at the end.
If using fresh corn, remove the kernels from the cob and cook the kernels for ten minutes. If using corn in a glass you can choose to warm or not before adding.
Cook the lentils or beans according to package instructions, or use the kind in the glass.
Wash arugula and sprouts.
Empty the cooked quinoa into a large salad bowl and let cool a bit. Then add the remaining ingredients carefully, except for the arugula and sprouts: those are last.
Place the arugula or mache around the edges of the bowl you’re using to serve, and then fill the macrobiotic salad in the middle. Add a bit of olive oil and maybe a splash of soy sauce, decorate with sprouts and some black sesame or gomasio – voila!
Guten Appetit!
Madhavi
