Miso packs a flavour punch
Need a miso eggplant fix but can’t wait until summer? Give kumara a similar treatment.
This is a generous serving if you’re eating it as a side dish, but the combination of sweet kumara and salty miso is very addictive.
Add a green salad on the side and you could call it a light meal.
2 orange kumara (about 500g each)
Salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
4 tablespoons butter, soft but not melted 4 tablespoons white miso
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons mirin
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh coriander
Heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Scrub the kumara and set on a baking tray. Sprinkle with salt and bake for 50 minutes, until soft enough to be pierced with a knife. Remove from the oven and cut in half lengthways. Turn the oven to the grill setting.
While the kumara is cooking, put the garlic, butter, miso, soy sauce, and mirin in a bowl. Beat together until smooth and set aside.
Score the cut sides of the kumara with a fork to rough them up slightly.
Spread the miso butter on top and return them to the oven for about five minutes, until the butter is bubbling and the kumara is starting to brown. Remove from the oven, scatter over the chopped coriander, and serve.
Serves 2-3 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes (halve this if you cook the eggs and quinoa at the same time)
This makes a really good take-to-work lunch – you can prepare the various components (cook the quinoa, boil the eggs, make the dressing) the night before and assemble it in the morning. It’s not bad as a stay-athome meal either.
cup quinoa
4 eggs, at room temperature
4 handfuls baby spinach or rocket
2 ribs celery, trimmed and sliced into 1cm pieces 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
For the miso dressing:
1 small clove garlic, crushed to a paste with teaspoon salt
teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon miso paste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
Rinse the quinoa in a sieve set under the cold tap. Drain and put in a small pot with cup water. Cover and set over medium heat.
Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender. Remove from the heat, uncover and set aside.
While the quinoa is cooking, cook the the eggs. Bring a small pot of water to the boil, add a pinch of salt and then slip in the eggs.
Let it come back to a simmer and cook the eggs for eight minutes exactly. Drain immediately, then shake the pot to break the shells while holding it under the cold tap. Shell the eggs and cut into quarters lengthwise.
To make the dressing, put all the ingredients in a lidded jar or small bowl, and shake or stir together until well mixed. Taste and add more oil or vinegar to taste.
To assemble the salad, put the quinoa in a bowl and add three tablespoons of the dressing. Stir well and add the spinach leaves and celery.
Toss together and add the egg quarters and sesame seeds.
Toss again gently and drizzle a little of the remaining dressing over the top. Serve immediately.