Wheat Salad

Masterchef Australia is back and I can’t begin to express how excited I am. It’s even more exciting because some of my favorites have returned. This information has nothing to do with this recipe but I thought I should throw it in there to spice things up.

Wheat is one of the most common grains in Ghana except that besides milling it for flour and using it in porridges or cooking it whole, we don’t really use its much for anything else. Earlier this year I began to use in my salads. Wheat is a high source of fibre which is very important for the body. This is the updated version of the recipe. I’m no medical expert so I won’t go much into details about wheat and the nutrients it contains. This is the point I tell you that it is also high in gluten so if you are on a gluten free diet then you should absolutely stay away from this. You can replace wheat in this recipe with Fonio, couscous, quinoa or even brown rice.

My intention was to post a recipe video on instagram but I found out after I had finished everything that my camera recorded just the first 10 mins.

Recipe 4 servings

what you need

1 cup cooked wheat

2 medium sized cucumbers, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes, small enough so you can have a mouthful with each bite.

3 medium sized fresh tomatoes, chopped into 1/4 inch cubes

1 medium sized onion, chopped

2/3 cups fresh mint leafs, finely chopped

1/3 cup fresh parsley leafs, finely chopped

1/3 cup fresh akokƆ bɛsa/baby nunum leafs/ basil

For the dressing

1/4 cup extra olive oil

juice of 1 medium sized lemon

2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped

2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon honey/maple syrup (adjust to taste)

salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Directions

Before you start your prep, spread the cooked wheat on a plate and place in the refrigerator. This helps dry it and removes any mushiness.

Combine chopped cucumbers and tomatoes and then massage in a teaspoon of salt. Set aside for 10 mins. When ready to use, discard any excess water and pat dry with a kitchen towel or napkin until completely dry.

Before chopping the herbs, pat them dry with paper towel to get rid of any moisture.

To make the dressing…

Add all the ingredients in a bowl or a jar with a lid. Add salt to taste. If using a jar, cover it tightly with the lid and vigorously shake the jar to combine the dressing. Shaking emulsifies the dressing looks thick and glossy. This will take about a min. If using a bowl, whisk dressing together until it emulsifies and looks thick and glossy.

To make the salad, Toss all the veggies and the wheat into a large bowl. Add pinch of salt, add more salt if you didn’t cook wheat with salt. Stir together and add 1/2 of your dressing. Stir, taste and adjust salt. Place dressing and salad in refrigerator until ready to serve. When ready to serve, add a bit more dressing to your taste. Keep leftover in a bowl with a lid. It keeps for a week in the fridge. You can also double the recipe to make a larger batch.