This is the perfect cooling summer salad with cold, cold watermelon cubed and tossed with protein-rich and nutty quinoa is a combination that can be considered fairly common. Enter - curry leaves! I made up a delicious aromatic tadka of curry leaves, chilies, mustard seeds, pinch of hing (to help against the bloating/gas of watermelon) and tossed into the quinoa. To add a bit of crunchiness i caramelised some peanuts and I have to tell you - this salad was a real hit on the table!
Do give this one a shot - add as a main dish to a heavy rich curry and rice, or as a starter, or a into a grazing platter!
The Recipe
4
Ingredients
1 cup mini cubed watermelon, deseeded please!
1 cup cooked quinoa (with salt added)
2 tsp sesame oil
1-2 small shallots, finely diced
8-10 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 green chili, finely diced
Pinch of hing
Caramelised peanuts
¼ cup toasted and broken peanuts
2-3 tbsp sugar
1 cup cooked quinoa (with salt added)
2 tsp sesame oil
1-2 small shallots, finely diced
8-10 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 green chili, finely diced
Pinch of hing
Caramelised peanuts
¼ cup toasted and broken peanuts
2-3 tbsp sugar
Instructions
First make the caramelized peanuts by melting sugar
Once it starts brown throw in the peanuts and remove from heat and swirl the pan to coat the peanuts well and place the peanuts aside to cool and harden
For the salad
Warm the oil (could be in the same sugar pan!) and fry the shallots
Then once they have browned, add the mustard seeds, hing and chilies
Then add the curry leaves and fry until crispy
Pour this over the quinoa and stir well
Then mix with the watermelon and caramelized peanuts and toss well
Refrigerate until ready to serve
Should be served cold.
Once it starts brown throw in the peanuts and remove from heat and swirl the pan to coat the peanuts well and place the peanuts aside to cool and harden
For the salad
Warm the oil (could be in the same sugar pan!) and fry the shallots
Then once they have browned, add the mustard seeds, hing and chilies
Then add the curry leaves and fry until crispy
Pour this over the quinoa and stir well
Then mix with the watermelon and caramelized peanuts and toss well
Refrigerate until ready to serve
Should be served cold.
