It’s the yoghurt mint dressing that makes this roast vegetable and couscous salad a thing of beauty. With softened roasted sweet potato or pumpkin, a crunchy green, and a creamy dressing, you have yourself a salad for all seasons.
One of the reasons this salad is so refreshing and easy to eat is the mint. Its zing really shines through the yoghurt mint dressing. I love it, but I know it can divide opinions. For centuries, mint has been a kitchen favourite, and a known digestion aid. Here’s John Gerard in his 1597 The Herball1 :
“Garden Mints taken in meate or drinke warmeth and ftrengtheneth the ftomack, and drieth all fuperflous humors fatherred in the fame, nad caufeth good digeftion.”
-John Gerard, The Herball, 1597
Translation: Garden Mints, when consumed in food or drink, warm and strengthen the stomach, and dry out any excess fluids produced in the body, leading to good digestion.
I’ve adapted this recipe from one given to me by a friend many years ago, so I think of friendship when I make this salad too. And that’s bound to be good for happy digestion, as well as the soul. Here’s another salad that’s good for the “digestion”: black beans, grapefruit and chicken.
“MINTHE was a Naiad-nymph of Mount Mintha in Elis (southern Greece) loved by the god Hades. When she claimed to be superior to his wife Persephone, the angry goddess transformed her into a mint plant.”
Source: https://www.theoi.com/Nymphe/NympheMinthe.html
Vegetable & Couscous Salad with Yoghurt Mint Dressing
Ingredients
Main Salad
- 500 g sweet potato (1.1pd approx 1 large sweet potato), or pumpkin,or a mix of both, cubed, (If there's a little more, don't worry)
- 200 g (0.4 pound) your choice of greens whether beans, sugar snap peas, snow peas, broccolini. You really want your greens to have crunch to offset the soft potato/pumpkin and the creamy dressing
- ½ tsp cumin
- salt, pepper
- ½ cup chopped mint for serving
- Optional. Handful of toasted nuts or seeds as garnish.
Couscous – for gluten free, do not use couscous. Either omit, or try quinoa or something like a small gluten free orzo cooked to packet directions
- 1 cup couscous
- 1¼ cups boiling water
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 tsp cumin Instead of cumin you could use any combination of dried herbs, or ¼ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Optional: a small handful of currents
Dressing
- 240 g Greek yoghurt (8 ounces)
- 1+ tbsp honey. Start with 1 tbsp and you can adjust up if you prefer a little sweeter
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp mint, chopped
Instructions
Vegetables
- Preheat oven to 220℃/428℉.
- Drizzle olive oil over cubed vegetables. Sprinkle with cumin, salt, pepper. Bake in oven approximately 25 minutes until soft, but careful not to burn edges. Allow to cool a little before using.
- Prepare greens. Blanch beans or broccolini if using and rinse with cold water. Sugar snap peas and snow peas can be eaten raw.
Dressing
- Mix dressing ingredients together in small bowl and keep in fridge until needed. Taste to see if you'd like to adjust ingredients to your taste.
Couscous – for gluten free do not use couscous. Alternative quinoa or a small gluten-free orzo cooked to packet directions
- Put couscous in bowl. Spoon cumin through. Dollop butter on top. Add currants if using. Add boiling water and cover tightly with aluminium foil for a full 5 five minutes. Fork till fluffy, breaking up any clumps.
Before Serving
- Place couscous (or gluten free alternative) and vegetables on platter and lightly mix. Add the remaining ½ cup chopped mint and spoon over dressing. Mix dressing through lightly, leaving some to spoon over the top. Add any garnishes.
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