Brown Rice & Barley Salad with Spiced Chickpeas, Sweet Potato & Currants
Serves 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 55 minutes
Source: The Low GI Vegetarian Cookbook – Brand-Miller et al
Ingredients:
140g (2/3 cup) brown rice
160g (2/3 cup) pearl barley
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon tumeric
1 tablespoon olive oil
250g (1 medium) sweet potato, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces
1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
400g can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
45g (1/4 cup) currants
50g (1/4 cup) lightly toasted slivered almonds
2 tablespoons freshly chopped coriander
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups rocket leaves
1 ½ cups baby rocket leaves
Yoghurt Tahini Dressing
125ml (1/2 cup) low fat natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon tahini
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180C.
- Cook the brown rice and pearl barley in 2 separate large pans of boiling water, with one teaspoon of cumin added to each pan. Cook stirring occasionally for 25 minutes or until al dente (pearl barley will take a little longer). Drain well.
- Meanwhile, place the sweet potato, onion, and chick peas in a large bowl. Mix the remaining cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric and the olive oil together then add to the bowl with the sweet potato and toss to evenly coat.
- Place the sweet potato mixture in a single layer on the prepared tray and bake for 20 minutes or until sweet potato is just tender.
- Toss the rice, barley, sweet potato, chickpeas, currants, almonds, rocket, baby rocket and coriander together in a large bowl. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- To make the dressing, mix all ingredients together until well combined. Serve the salad drizzled with a little of the dressing.
