I love nuts, all kinds. Then I discovered these Inca nuts. They are incredibly addictive, and stand out from all the other commonplace nuts. And, they are also being touted as a superfood. So what more can I ask for. Also they make a great snack with : dehydrated golden berries, another Peruvian superfood. You can simply order these over the internet.
The sacha inchi nuts go very well with the peppery and delicate pea shoots. A citrus dressing is a natural fit to this but here I use a fig balsamic.
This simple salad is divine and may become your go-to green staple. You may find this strange, but I will recommend you use your chopsticks on this salad. Why? Not just that it is elegant; but it helps pick up the delicate pea shoots and even the nuts more effectively than a fork.

Special tools:
salad spinner
Ingredients
- 2 cups of tender pea shoots, washed and spun dry in a salad spinner
- Dressing: 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil + 1 tbsp fig balsamic vinegar + pinch of salt + dash of freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 cup sacha inchi nuts
- 1/8 cup dried dark sweet cherries
Method
Mix the dressing ingredients with a wire whisk. Toss the greens gently till lightly dressed. Mix in the nuts and dried berries.
Notes, hints, tips:
- Pre-washed greens (in bulk) save water for the community. But if your greens are not already washed; you must thoroughly wash and a salad spinner is invaluable in drying them.
Talking of salad spinners, the larger the better (mine is 11.5 inches in diameter and 6 inches deep). Then there is no need to stuff all your ingredients into a small space and hope that it will wash and dry them magically. Further, the ones that sit on the counter-top and spin on their own (once you have started them off) is a good investment- it is like your little sous chef drying away while you attend to other less mundane tasks. - Hazelnuts is a good substitute for sacha inchi.
- Baby spinach or spring mix can be substituted for the greens.
- In my kitchen I have a pair of “hands” carved out of wood which I use to toss the salads with. But I have found my bare (and immaculately clean) hands are such a great substitute.
- This recipe is very minimalist, but complete. But you can also add fruits and/or proteins of your choice.
Enjoyed reading 😊
Now will try my hands (not so clean ones) at this 😀
[…] One of the most respectful way of using the microgreens is in salads (see also the earlier post on pea shoots) but here I don’t upright-stack the corn shoots in the presentation like many chefs do, […]
[…] One of the most respectful way of using the microgreens is in salads (see also the earlier post on pea shoots) but here I don’t upright-stack the corn shoots in the presentation like many chefs do, but […]