I really tried to start the title of this salad with an accurate description of its taste, but I couldn’t find the right one. It tastes fermented, but not sour, it’s sharp but not pungent, zingy, yet not too much so. It’s vinegary and lemony and it does have a kick, but it’s also sweet and soft from stuff like carrots, corn, cashew and coconut oil.

While it’s really not a complicated dish, the prepping part will take a little while and even though I usually like to spend my alone cooking time in silence, this time I did it while listening to this podcast, which you might enjoy if you too, like me, are a nutrition freak aficionado.

And now back to our salad: it’s got ribboned carrots and corn that’s been dressed with a beautiful zingy dressing, set over some nice turmeric and curry quinoa and the topped with spring onions, parsley, cashews and a handful of pickled whatever-you-have-on-hand, I had zucchini.

Nutrition wise, this salad kind of has them all: veg, the healthy fats, it’s grain-free, it packs a nice dose of vitamins, Omega-3 and it’s anti-inflammatory. Not bad, eh?

Carrot & Quinoa Salad

Serves Two

For the dressing:

3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted

1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar or rice wine vinegar

Freshly squeezed juice from half a lemon

2-3 tsp freshly grated ginger

One small garlic clove, pressed

1 star anise

½ tsp sea salt

1 tsp runny honey or maple syrup

Make the dressing by placing all the ingredients in a jar, then place the lid and shake well to combine.

For the salad

150g/3⁄4 cup quinoa

½ tsp turmeric powder

½ tsp curry powder

Freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 carrots, washed, peeled and ribboned with the aid of your peeler or a mandolin

175g/1 cup corn

Two spring onions, sliced

A handful of pickled zucchini (or whatever else pickles you have on hand, onions would be great here), recipe here

A handful of cashews, chopped

A small bunch of parsley, finely chopped

A small handful of hemp seeds (optional)

Cook the quinoa according to packet instructions. I cooked mine by boiling 350ml/1½ cups water, then adding the quinoa and cooking over low-medium heat for 15 minutes. While quinoa is still hot, add the turmeric, curry, a squeeze of lemon juice, a little salt and mix and mix to combine. Leave to cool a little.

Place ribboned carrots and corn in a shallow dish, add the dressing and toss to combine.

Divide the quinoa between two bowls or plates, top with equal amounts of carrot and corn. Place the pickles on the side, then sprinkle everything with spring onions, cashews and parsley. Drizzle with the remaining dressing from the dish, sprinkle with a little hemp seeds and serve!