Spring Salad Platter with Barley, Asparagus, Taro, & Watermelon Radish
Hi I’m Evangeline! Welcome to my blog. I am mom and lover of all things health and wellness. By profession- a Registered Massage Therapist and Yoga & Ayurveda consultant. I started this blog back in the early days of Covid19 as a way to stay in touch with my clients, and it’s grown into a space to share what I love most. Here you’ll find health tips and nourishing recipes I make for my family, sprinkled with Ayurveda and Yoga wisdom. My hope is that these posts inspire you to care for yourself in small, joyful ways and feel a little more balanced in everyday life.
A warm spring salad that is both nourishing and cleansing. Curry leaves clean the liver without overheating the body, barley binds toxins for elimination, while asparagus and radish clean the kidneys. Watermelon radish has a mild pungent taste with a sweet finish, delightful in this dish with its burst of red in the centre. Nutrient rich with seasonal vegetables, flavours, and colours that signal spring is definitely here!
Spring Salad Platter
Spring Salad Platter with Barley, Asparagus, Taro, & Watermelon Radish
Yields: 2-4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes (Add 20 minutes if you are making your own paneer)
Cooking Time: 40
ingredients
Protein:
100 grams paneer, cut in cubes
Asparagus & Chard to be cooked with paneer
5 asparagus spears, bottoms peeled
3 leaves of Swiss chard
1 Tablespoon rosemary or thyme— or 1 tsp dried
Sat and pepper to taste
Starch:
⅓ cup pearl barley, soaked and rinsed well
3-6 curry leaves
½ tsp ground coriander
⅛ - ¼ tsp cumin
⅛ tsp turmeric
1 tsp ghee or olive oil for cooking (less if cleansing)
1 cup water or vegetable stock
Baked Vegetables:
1-3 taro, peeled & cut into quarters
1-2 watermelon radish or red radish or 1 small daikon radish, cut into rounds
1 cup loki squash or zucchini, cut into 1 inch quarters
1 - 2 tsp ghee or olive oil
1 Tablespoon rosemary or thyme— or 1 tsp dried
½ tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground fennel
⅛ - ¼ tsp Thai green chili (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
1 Tablespoon fresh lime
½ tsp dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon rosemary or thyme— ⅓ tsp dried
½ tsp maple syrup
Dash of natural salt and ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Cook barley- in a pot, heat ghee or olive oil on medium-low and add spices and curry leaves and combine with barley and water/stock. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for 30 minutes on low heat. Turn heat off after 30 minutes and leave covered on the stove until ready to plate.
3. Prepare the vegetables- in a bowl, toss together taro, radishes, lauki squash with spices and rosemary, salt and pepper. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 40 minutes.
4. Cut paneer in cubes. Set aside alongside asparagus and Swiss chard.
5. While barley is cooking and vegetables baking, warm ghee and rosemary in a large pan and cook asparagus and paneer on medium heat with a bit of water. Place chard on top of to wilt, cover with a lid, turn down to low, and steam for 3 minutes.
Plate with chard underneath. Arrange to your liking with grains, vegetables & paneer.
Drizzle with dressing before serving, or simply drizzle with fresh lime and olive oil.
