The cold, the snow, the rain are all excellent reasons to spend your free time at home to experiment with new recipes … .. because even I am temporarily in Singapore often my thoughts are in Italy, and always with the thought of Italy I feel the weather and sometimes … .. even the time zone. Despite this the culinary inspiration can only be “local” and dictated by the raw materials that I find readily available. I love cooking Italian … .. and now the Asian cuisine as well that I have come to know little by little and to appreciate its flavors so different. I’m in a city where nothing is off-season, the Km zero does not exist because everything comes from Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand or China, where the pineapple and mango fruits are cheap and the extra virgin olive oil and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese are very expensive… ..
Then this is the background that led me to prepare this salad Quinoa, a dish with an Asian flavor that I have “interpreted” by slightly changing the original recipe called “Asian Quinoa stirr-Fry” published on my favorite magazine “Good Food” which I find always at the local supermarket.
Ingredients for four people
150 grams of Quinoa
1 small red onion
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons tamari
1 medium sized carrot
1 medium sized zucchini
150 grams of green beans
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
1 tablespoon sunflower oil, salt, pepper (optional)
Ingredients for the seasoning: grated zest of 2 limes, juice of 1 lime, 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil, 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar.
Cook the quinoa according to the instructions in the package.
In my case I brought to a boil a quantity of water equal to that of Quinoa most 1/4. (Measuring the Quinoa with a cup I did then 1 cup of Quinoa and a cup of water and 1/4). I added the Quinoa, lowered the heat and let simmer in the pot with the lid closed, for 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. I then put out the fire and I left the quinoa in the pot covered for another 5 minutes. I finished cooking “grainy the Quinoa” mixing it with a fork.
Wash and prepare the vegetables: cut the zucchini and carrots into slices about 1 cm thick and then into 2 parts along the diameter. cut the beans into pieces about 3 inches long and coarsely chop the onion.
In a large pan, or in a wok, pour oil, Tamari, grated ginger and chopped onion. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes. Then add 3 tablespoons of water and a little ‘pepper. After 2 minutes, add 1 cup of water (about 250 ml), carrots and green beans: cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add the zucchini, sesame seeds and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding, if necessary, even half a glass of water. The vegetables should be moderately moist at the end of the preparation.
Prepare the sauce: mix the zest and lime juice, olive oil and vinegar.
Stir in the wok vegetables and quinoa, stir and add seasoning.
It can be served hot, warm … .. and it is good cold!
