Name: Grain salad with tahini, grilled spring onion and baharat dressing
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 200 gm buckwheat, rinsed; 100 gm pearl barley; 2 red onions, cut into thin wedges; 100 ml white vinegar; 100 gm caster sugar; 1 bunch spring onions, peeled, green tops of 1-2 spring onions thinly sliced, placed in iced water (5 minutes) and drained; 50 ml olive oil; 1 tsp baharat spice mixture (see note); 100 gm tahini; 50 ml lemon juice; 50 gm currants; 50 gm dried apricot, chopped; 80 gm roasted sesame seeds

Grain salad with tahini, grilled spring onion and baharat dressing

Buckwheat, barley and baharat. It's combination that will awaken your tastebuds.

Serves 6

Prep

20M

Cook

35M

Total

55M

“This dish is textural and the addition of baharat may be a bit full-on, but persist and work with the spice mix,” says Charlie Carrington of Colours Kitchen. “Once your palate is accustomed to it, you’ll find ways to use it.”

Ingredients

200 gm buckwheat, rinsed

100 gm pearl barley

2 red onions, cut into thin wedges

100 ml white vinegar

100 gm caster sugar

1 bunch spring onions, peeled, green tops of 1-2 spring onions thinly sliced, placed in iced water (5 minutes) and drained

50 ml olive oil

1 tsp baharat spice mixture (see note)

100 gm tahini

50 ml lemon juice

50 gm currants

50 gm dried apricot, chopped

80 gm roasted sesame seeds

Method

1.Place buckwheat, barley and 1 litre cold water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook until tender (25 minutes). Drain well and cool.

2.Add red onion to a heatproof bowl. Bring vinegar, sugar and 100ml water to the boil in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve sugar. Pour vinegar mixture over onion, cover and stand until cooled and pink (20 minutes).

3.Preheat a cast-iron char-grill pan or barbecue over high heat. Grill white parts of the spring onion, turning occasionally until charred (4-5 minutes). While hot, combine with oil, baharat, tahini and lemon juice in a food processor and blend until smooth (it should look like a black mayonnaise).

4.Combine buckwheat and barley with currants, apricot and tahini mixture in a bowl. Season well. Transfer to serving plate and top with pickled onion, sliced spring onion and sesame seeds to serve.

Baharat is a spice blend available from Middle Eastern grocers and herbies.com.au.
Drink suggestion: A peppery shiraz, such as 2013 Alain Graillot Syrocco Syrah, from Morocco. Drink suggestion by Charlie Carrington & Anna Riou-lebret.
Notes