Quinoa is a very nutritious grain that grows in the Andes mountains. This delicious, lively salad combines quinoa with black beans, corn, red onion, and bell peppers. The dressing is flavored with lime, cumin, and aji amarillo, a fruity yellow chile pepper from Peru. I like to use choclo (an Andean corn with large kernels and a nutty flavor) in this salad, but sweet yellow corn works just as well.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
- 2 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup cooked choclo or regular corn
- 1 cup chopped red onion
- 1 red or green bell pepper, diced
- 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup raisins (optional)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2-3 teaspoons aji amarillo paste
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 2 tablespoons vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
- Place the quinoa in a pot with the vegetable broth or water and bring to a simmer.
- Simmer quinoa for 10 minutes, then drain quinoa into a strainer or sieve. Place sieve or strainer basket over boiling water and steam quinoa, covered, for 10-15 minutes longer, until the grains are fluffy and dry.
- Place quinoa in a bowl, and stir in chopped onions, peppers, beans, raisins and corn.
- Whisk together the olive oil, aji amarillo paste, lime juice, cumin, sugar, and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour dressing over quinoa and vegetables and toss well. Let salad marinate in refrigerator for 2-3 hours for best flavor.
Serves 4-6.
