ANCIENT GRAIN SALAD WITH CURRANTS, HERBS & POMEGRANATE

Looking for a salad that’s hearty, vibrant, and anything but boring? This Ancient Grain Salad with Currants, Herbs & Pomegranate is a celebration of colour, texture, and flavour. With roasted beetroot, nutty grains, sweet pops of currants, and plenty of fresh herbs, it’s a dish that feels wholesome yet indulgent. The creamy honey yoghurt brings everything together beautifully, and you can easily make it a main meal by adding your favourite protein – think lemony chicken thighs or garlicky lamb chops. Perfect for a relaxed dinner, a make-ahead work lunch, or your next gathering, this salad is as nourishing as it is delicious.

SUPER SIMPLE
PREP TIME 15 minutes
COOK TIME 30 minutes
SERVES 4

3 beetroot, skin left on
180g (1 cup) bulgur (cracked wheat), rinsed well (or use freekeh, quinoa, farro, buckwheat or brown rice)
200g (1 cup) dried puy lentils, rinsed
75g (1/2 cup) currants, soaked in boiling water for 30 seconds and drained (or use dried cranberries, apricots, blueberries or sultanas)
½ red onion, very finely diced
½ bunch of flat-leaf parsley, leaves finely chopped
½ bunch of coriander, leaves finely chopped
80g (½ cup) whole almonds, toasted and chopped
50g (⅓ cup) pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
½ pomegranate, seeds removed (optional)

HONEY YOGHURT

250g (1 cup) Greek yoghurt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon honey

PROTEIN PAIRING

Chicken: Marinate boneless chicken thighs in extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pan-fry for 6–7 minutes on each side until cooked through. Slice and add to the salad.
Lamb: Season lamb chops with garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper. Pan-fry for 4–5 minutes on each side for medium–rare. Rest, then slice and add to the salad.

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Cut each beetroot in half, wrap individually in foil and place them on the tray. Roast the beetroot for 30 minutes until cooked through and tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. When cool enough to handle, cut the beetroot halves into wedges – you can peel the skin off if you want to.

Meanwhile, bring two saucepans of water to the boil. Add the bulgur to one pan and turn the heat down to low. Gently simmer for 12–14 minutes until just tender. Drain and set aside to cool. Add the lentils to the other pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 12–14 minutes until the lentils are tender but still have a bit of bite (that’s the way I like mine). They might need slightly longer – a further 5 minutes – if you prefer more tender lentils. Drain and set aside to cool.

Start assembling! Combine the bulgur, lentils, currants, onion, parsley, coriander, almonds, pine nuts and beetroot in a large bowl. Toss the salad together, drizzle on the olive oil and lemon juice and season well.

On to the honey yoghurt. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, mix well and season.

Divide the salad between serving bowls. Serve with a dollop of the honey yoghurt. Alternatively, if you’re serving this up for a crowd, transfer the salad to one large bowl and dollop the honey yoghurt into the centre. Feel free to sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top.

STORAGE TIPS

Dress the salad and keep the nuts separate until just before serving to maintain freshness and crunch.
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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