Oriental Buddha Bowl with Couscous and Amaranth, Dried Tomato and Cilantro Pesto
An oriental-inspired dish, rich in spices and generosity. It consists of vegetable couscous, amaranth with chickpeas, black olives, and a large salad dressed with a pesto made from dried tomatoes and cilantro. The combination of flavors is fresh and delicious. This dish is very complete and perfect for each guest to create their own combination with their favorite ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 turnip or parsnip
- 3 carrots
- 1 zucchini
- 1 teaspoon of ras-el-hanout (or a mix of cinnamon, turmeric, and cumin)
- 1 pinch of chili
- 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce
- 100g amaranth seeds
- 200g cooked chickpeas
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 3 dried tomatoes
- 1 bunch of cilantro (3-4 sprigs)
- 2 walnuts
- Juice of half a lime
- Olive oil
- Lettuce
- 1 avocado
- Cherry tomatoes
- Black olives
- Salt, pepper, paprika
Instructions
- Prepare the vegetables: Cut the bell pepper, parsnip (or turnip), and carrots into small cubes and sauté them in a pan with olive oil. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Then, add the zucchini in cubes, ras-el-hanout, chili, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce. Cover and cook over medium heat until the zucchini is slightly tender.
- Cook the amaranth: Place the amaranth seeds in a pot with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook until slightly tender (8-10 minutes). Drain, return to the pot, and let rest on low heat, covered, for a few more minutes until the remaining water is absorbed. Remove from heat, let cool a bit, and mix with the chickpeas and chopped parsley. Add a pinch of cumin, some lime juice, and salt.
- Prepare the pesto: In a blender, combine the dried tomatoes, walnuts, cilantro, a few drops of lime juice, and a bit of water. Blend while adding olive oil gradually until you achieve a consistency similar to mayonnaise.
- Assemble the plate: Place the vegetable couscous and amaranth on one half of the plate, and the salad on the other half with lettuce, avocado, and cherry tomatoes. Dress with pesto, and finish by placing black olives in the center.