Spring Vegetable Fonio Pilaf
Ingredients
2 tablespoons red palm oil or olive oil 1 shallot1 garlic clove minced
1 large carrot peeled and diced
1⁄2 cup vegetable stock or chicken stock
1⁄2 pound baby zucchini trimmed
1⁄2 pound asparagus trimmed and cut into 1⁄2-inch lengths 1⁄4 cup fresh or frozen green peas
2 cups cooked fonio or quinoa
2 scallions thinly sliced
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper.
"This simple fonio pilaf makes the perfect side dish for Lamb Shank Mafé or any other main dish that needs a healthy grain to sop up its sauce. I use spring vegetables in this version, but feel free to adapt to whatever is in season"
Method:
Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and cook until soft but not brown. Add the garlic and carrot and cook for another 3 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the stock and simmer, covered, until the carrot is tender, about 10 minutes.
Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, then into 1/2-inch pieces. Add the asparagus and zucchini to the pot and cook 5 minutes, until tender. Add the peas and cook for about 1 minute more. Fold in the fonio and scallions. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot or at room temperature.
BASIC FONIO
This healthy, gluten-free grain can be used as a side in the same way you would use rice, couscous, or quinoa. These are two basic methods for steaming fonio. You can cook it in a
steamer basket (the traditional way) or just in a pot on the stove. I’ve also had success cooking it in the rice cooker, if you have one (keep the ratio of fonio to water 1:1). You can always add a little bit of butter or oil to the fonio while cooking to keep the grains more separated, if you’d like. If you can’t find fonio, quinoa would make a good substitute when it is called for throughout the book.
1 cup uncooked fonio Salt
In a large bowl, wash the fonio grains by submerging in warm water, swishing the grains around with your fingers, then pouring out and replacing the water several times until it runs clear. Drain well.
Using a steamer: Place the fonio in the top of a steamer basket lined with damp cheesecloth. Set over simmering salted water, cover, and steam for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and fluff with a fork. Drizzle a few tablespoons of salted water over the fonio and steam again until the grains are completely tender, another 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.
Without a steamer: Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium pot. Stir in the cleaned raw fonio and 1 tablespoon of salt, cover tightly with the lid, and turn the heat to low. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the water is just absorbed. Turn off the heat and gently fluff with a fork, making sure you fluff the bottom where it’s wetter. Cover again for another 5 to 10 minutes, until tender.
