The weather in Sydney has been temperamental this summer, so one weeknight as the rain bucketed down outside, I scoured the fridge and the cupboards to see what I could whip together without leaving the warmth of home.
I’m a big fish eater, particularly in summer but I have to say I sway towards salmon and trout, most likely because they are fattier and for me, more satisfying than white fish.
Quinoa (pronounced Keen-wah) is a great substitute for starchy carbohydrates like white rice, pasta or potatoes. It’s not a grain as some would have you believe, but rather a seed – a protein-rich ancient seed. It does, however, take on flavour like starchy carbs do, which makes it a great addition to a salad, stew or even a soup.
This is one of those dishes that is great for a relaxed mid-week family dinner. Like fried rice, you can just toss it into a bowl or on to a plate, mix through the egg and enjoy.
If you are vegetarian or vegan, simply add some vegetables in with the quinoa while it’s cooking (baby spinach, kale, carrot or whatever you have hiding in the fridge will work), instead of having salmon and the egg.
If you’ve got some extra quinoa leftover, pack it for school, work or university with a tin of tuna and make you own version at your desk with a little EVOO and sea salt.
| Prep Time | 15 minutes |
| Cook Time | 40 minutes |
| Servings |
people
|
- 4 Fresh salmon fillets 1 per person or 1/2 serve for kids. Wild caught is always preferable.
- 1/2 Packet Quinoa I used tri-colour quinoa from a 454g packet
- 1 Sachet Korma curry paste I use a low FODMAP option. You can use a home made paste as well.
- 1 Brown onion Diced. Not suitable for low FODMAP
- 1 Bunch Parsley Finely chopped.
- 3 C Water To cook the quinoa
- 2 tbsp Ghee
Ingredients
|
|
- Heat a pot on the stove top and add the ghee.
- Once the ghee is melting, add 1T of curry paste and the onion (omit onion for low FODMAP version).
- Once the curry paste begins to sizzle, throw in 3 cups of quinoa with 3 cups of water straight away and stir to combine.
- Ensure the quinoa is covered well with water and bring to boil.
- Once the quinoa is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer, covered.
- Meanwhile, heat a teaspoon of ghee, EVOO or coconut oil in a pan.
- Once the pan is hot, add the salmon fillets, skin side down.
- When the skin begins to shrink back and crisp up, turn the fillets over, cover with a lid and turn the heat down to low.
- The quinoa should be ready when it has absorbed all the water and you can fluff it up with a fork. If it's still wet and sloppy, leave it on for longer.
- The salmon should be slightly brown on the outside and still a little springy to touch (bright pink in the middle, and pale pink on the outside).
- Sprinkle lots of fresh parsley on top with a drizzle of EVOO and sea salt and pepper to serve.
Tip:
The quinoa should take about 30-40 minutes to cook through, so begin to cook the salmon when the quinoa has been on for about 25 minutes. The quinoa can stay warm, but the salmon needs to be served straight off the heat.
Optional:
Add a poached or fried egg on top. The egg is a great way to make the dish creamy, comforting and more substantial.
Skye is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Fit Traveller. She is a journalist, writer, photographer, intrepid traveller and a former personal trainer with a passion for helping others reach optimal health. As a TV journalist and producer, Skye has worked for household names such as 60 Minutes, Sunrise, TODAY and Nine News. She has also written for Women’s Health, Fodor’s Travel and Yahoo7 Travel, among many others.
Skye created The Fit Traveller as a beautiful online space and community where people feel inspired to escape the desk to move and explore more.
Equally comfortable in a 5-star resort or hiking a far-off mountain, Skye loves the unexpected and enriching life experiences that each trip brings and can often be found in a backstreet chatting to locals with her camera in hand.
Skye is based in Sydney, working to master the balance between motherhood and her insatiable appetite for adventure.
