Freekeh salad with grilled corn ribs
Perfect summer salad bowl of freekeh, which marries perfectly with the fresh vegetables and the smoky flavor of the grilled corn ribs. The combination of tender freekeh, fresh vegetables, and charred corn creates a satisfying contrast that keeps you coming back for more.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients:
- ¾ cup dry whole freekeh
- 1 tsp bouillon powder for cooking the freekeh
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups water for cooking freekeh
- 1 cup candy/cherry tomatoes
- 1 cup red spinach leaves unpacked
- 1 cup baby red Swiss chard leaves unpacked
- ½ red onion chopped
- ½ avocado
Cilantro dressing ingredients:
- 1 cup cilantro leaves and stalks packed
- ½ lemon juiced
- ¼-½ avocado
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2-3 tbsp water
Grilled corn ribs ingredients:
- 1 fresh corn
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- ½ tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Prepping & cooking the freekeh:
- To prep the freekeh: sift through the freekeh gains to look for small stones or debris and pick them up, then rinse it in cold water till it runs clear.
- Soak the freekeh in cold water for 30 minutes, this will soften it for cooking.
- To cook the Freekeh: drain the soaked freekeh, add it to a pan, add water, salt, and bouillon powder, and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer for 20-30 minutes till it is cooked through. (Mine took 25 minutes to cook). Drain excess liquid and fluff with a fork. set aside to cool.
Making the salad dressing:
- Add all the dressing ingredients to a food processor and process till it's creamy and all are combined.
- Add water (tablespoon at a time) to reach the desired consistency.
Cooking grilled corn ribs:
- While the freekeh is being soaked and then cooked, you can start prepping and cooking the corn ribs.
- Use a large sharp knife and a non-slip chopping board. Trim the corn ends, and cut the corn in half.
- Stand the corn upright and start cutting it in half, then quarters. One corn will give you 8 corn ribs.
- Mix the dry spices in a small bowl and set aside.
- Brush each corn rib with olive oil and sprinkle a tablespoon of the spice mix. Mix it to coat each corn well with the spice rub. Repeat the same step again adding more olive oil and spice mix to coat them well.
- Heat a grill on high heat, add olive oil, then cook the corn kernels side down for 7-8 minutes or until they are charred. Turn it to cook on each side for 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
Assemble the salad:
- Add the freekeh, spinach, Swiss chard leaves, candy tomato, and chopped onion to a large bowl. Mix well to combine
- Add the grilled corn ribs, slice half of an avocado, and add it. Drizzle the cilantro dressing on top. Serve & enjoy!