quinoa and persian cucumber salad with spicy mint sauce

this salad celebrates both the cool and the spicy – the juiciness of the cucumbers and the cool mint taste help to defuse the sharp bite of the jalepeno, creating a broad taste profile that is intriguing to the tastebuds.

and because quinoa is a fluffy high-protein gain while cucumbers are light and watery, this dish is both filling and light. the perfect snack or accompaniment to any meal.

quinoa and cucumber salad
1/2 dried quinoa
1 c water
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp salt
1 1b persian cucumbers

spicy mint sauce
1 bunch mint
1 jalepeno
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

cook the quinoa ahead of time.  bring the quinoa, water, salt and bay leaf to a boil in a small pot over high heat.  then cover and reduce to medium heat.  cook for about 15-20 minutes or until all the water has cooked off and the quinoa is light and fluffy.  set aside and let it cool down.

once the quinoa is cooled, chop up your cucumbers however you’d like.  i choose to slice them from end to end, then thinly slice them.  and you don’t have to use persian cucumbers, i just prefer them because they are light and crunchy.

for the dressing, wash the mint leaves thoroughly and remove all green, crisp leaves.  chop the jalapeno down the middle and remove the seeds – the spiciest part.  if you don’t like things too hot you can use less pepper, but the cool flavors really defuse a lot of the heat.

add the fresh mint leaves, jalapeno flesh, salt, oil and vinegar to a food processor or a blender and blend well until there are no big chunks.  the sauce is a little watery, but it’s perfect for this salad since the quinoa soaks it right up.

toss everything all together and serve.  it’s best enjoyed immediately, you can refrigerate it for up to a day, but it may get a bit soggy.

yields 4 servings

this post was featured on foodgawker.com