Having developed a recent interest in the macrobiotic diet and its emphasis on whole grains, I am a recent convert to spelt. They call it dinkel in Germany and I think that is a much nicer name, making it sound more whimsical. I actually prefer the spelt raw and soaked for about 24 hours. I add it to stir fries and salads but I know that some people find it irritates their digestive system, so I have cooked it here. I made this really spicy with some great locally grown chillies I bought in a big bunch on the market in Berlin yesterday but you can leave it out all together if you prefer. This really is a meal in itself and it is delicious. It is chewy and crunchy and sweet and very savoury, all at the same time and, of course, incredibly nutritious. I served it on a bed of baby spinach leaves and we ate it with the soba noodle salad but we are greedy.
Serves 2 as a main meal or 4 as a side dish
Ingredients
50g of raw spelt boiled for about 20 minutes until it is still chewy but not hard
A handful of raw broccoli very finely shredded
A handful of finely chopped cucumber
2 large handfuls of fresh coriander chopped
Seeds from half a fresh pomegranate
A large handful of walnuts, toasted in the oven for 10 minutes and roughly chopped
A tablespoon of olive oil
A teaspoon of cider vinegar
The juice of half a small lemon
2 teaspoons of tahina
Half a teaspoon of dijon mustard
A tiny amount of crushed raw garlic
1 large chilli very finely chopped
Salt and black pepper to taste
Combine all of the fresh ingredients with the spelt in a large bowl. Combine the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, tahina, mustard, garlic and chilli to make a dressing. Pour dressing onto the salad. Season to taste.