Pea Shoots Salad with Sacha Inchi

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:

1. 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.
2. Hazelnuts is a good substitute for  sacha inchi.
3. Baby spinach or spring mix can be substituted for the greens.
4. 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.
5. This recipe is very minimalist, but complete. But you can also add fruits and/or proteins of your choice.