Quinoa with Asian influences, by Martyn Reynolds
Devised by Martyn Reynolds at Upstairs London
Ingredients
(Serves four)
For the lemon and mint yogurt
250ml natural yogurt
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Chopped mint
Salt and pepper
For the Italian bunched carrots ½tsp fennel seeds
½tsp cumin seeds
3 Italian bunched carrots
Rock salt
For the garlic with chilli, onion and spices
3 bulbs of peeled garlic
½ onion, diced
1 red chilli
½tsp mustard seeds
½tsp onion seeds
100ml olive oil
For the quinoa 100g quinoa
1tsp cumin seeds
1tsp mustard seeds
1tsp onion seeds
1 bay leaf
1 litre vegetable stock
For the feuilles de brick poppadoms 4 sheets of feuilles de brick
Onion seeds
1 egg white
1 litre vegetable oil
100g crosnes (Chinese artichokes)
100g spinach
50g toasted whole almonds (lightly crushed)
50g raisins (soaked in boiling water)
1 lemon
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C. Soak the quinoa in cold water.
First make the lemon and mint yogurt. Mix all the ingredients, and keep chilled.
For the garlic, heat a medium-sized pan, add olive oil, and lightly toast the mustard and onion seeds. Then add the chilli, onion and garlic. Cook on a low heat, until the garlic is tender.
For the carrots, sprinkle enough rock salt to cover the base of a tray, add the fennel and cumin seeds and salt, and mix. Place the carrots on to salt mix, and cover tightly with foil. Cook in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes. Cut into small random-shaped wedges.
Next, make the feuilles de brick poppadoms. Preheat the oil to 180°C. Brush two sheets of feuilles de brick with egg white, lightly sprinkle with onion seeds, then place another sheet on top of each of them. Cut out with a 5cm ring, then deep-fry.
Drain the quinoa. Toast the cumin, mustard and onion seeds, then add the quinoa and toast for a couple of minutes. Add the vegetable stock.
Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the quinoa is soft, then lightly dress with a little olive oil, and the juice of 1 lemon. Cover and keep hot.
When all other components are ready, cook the crosnes for 3 minutes or until al dente, and steam the spinach.
To plate up, arrange the quinoa into piles, then place the garlic, spinach, carrots and crosnes on and around the quinoa. Sprinkle with almonds and raisins, and top with yogurt. Serve with the feuilles de brick poppadoms.