Herby Freekeh Salad
A tasty and healthy alternative to rice salad. Tossed in a herby dressing, this versatile, chewy grain is rich in fibre, protein, and flavour.
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Servings: people
Ingredients
- 200 g freekeh (a generous rounded cup) Whole rather than cracked freekeh is tastier. Cracked is quicker to cook.
- 800 ml water approximately
- 1 large handful parsely with stems
- 1 large handful dill with stems
- 1 large handful mint with stems
- 1 large lemon - juiced and zested - more to taste if necessary
- 1-2 tbsp fresh orange juice It is optional but gives the dressing a lovely, rounded flavour.
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or chilli flakes, plus a little for decorating. Optional
- 5-6 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large spring onion - finely sliced
- 1 generous handful pistachios or when in season pomegranate seeds
- salt and freshly ground black pepper You may prefer freshly ground black pepper to chilli or Aleppo pepper.
Instructions
- Wash the freekeh in plenty of water. Add it to a saucepan with a little salt and 3 cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes for cracked freekeh and 20-25 minutes for the whole grain version. Cooking times vary so keep an eye on it.
- Take half a handful of each herb. Reserve the good leafy parts for the salad, and use the stems and rest of the leaves for the dressing. Finely chop the herb leaves and set aside.
- Roughly chop the remaining leaves and stems (removing woody parts). Whizz with olive oil, lemon zest and juice, orange juice and Aleppo pepper. Taste for seasoning. Add salt, more lemon, orange juice or pepper.
- When cooked, drain the freekeh and add it to the serving bowl. Toss in the herby dressing while still warm. Toss in the remaining chopped herbs. At this stage, you can serve warm (my preferred version) or cover and keep it in the fridge and serve chilled.
- Garnish with pistachios, spring onions and or pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle over a little Aleppo pepper or add a good grinding of black pepper.
Notes
The recipe is for two people as a shared light lunch—more like four as a side dish.
