Country Garden Buddha Bowl

The origins of the “Buddha Bowl” can be found in Asian and Hawaiian culture. In Korea, rice, meat eggs and veg are put together in bowls made of stone and Hawaiian bowls include fish amongst the vegetable ingredients. The fact that it is possible to put together any of your favourite ingredients which include protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and vital roughage all in one, makes for a mighty nutritious mealtime and can also look really pretty too! Photographs of a Buddha Bowl can be a delightful piece of visual art!

I have decided to do my take on a “Buddha Bowl” with two different dressings, one made with Parmesan cheese (if want a vegan version it can be replaced with nutritional yeast), and the other made with apple cider vinegar. Yes, both go in one bowl sparingly. One on each side! A side plate of hot smoky-barbequed plain chicken or fish could be added if desired.

To make my Country Garden Buddha bowl for two you will need:

Raw:

2 medium sliced avocados

1/3 of a cucumber chopped

2 handfuls of summer salad leaf mixed with coriander leaves (washed and with or without stalks)

Handful of chopped parsley leaves and chopped walnuts

A few washed nasturtium petals for salad garnish

1 spring onion chopped to mix in with the cooked rice mixture

Have these ready and prepared to start with.

Cooked:

1 cupful of Camargue red rice*

2/3 cupful of sweetcorn

2/3 cupful of fresh peas

1 medium sweet potato sliced then roasted in olive oil* with a little ground coriander* and cumin seed*

2 sliced cooled beetroot

8 sticks asparagus (keep hot)

Pickled:

2 dessert spoons of Sauerkraut or other fermented vegetables

1 sliced medium pickled onion

Caesar Dressing:

¼ cup Tahini made with blended sesame seeds* (or cashew nut butter made from roughly half a cup of grill-warmed and blended cashews*) or ready-made Tahini from a jar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons mustard of your choice (I chose Horseradish mustard)

2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce (or vegan equivalent)

2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese (or nutritional yeast*)

¼ cup cold water

Sea salt half teaspoon*

Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing:

¼ cup apple cider vinegar *

1 teaspoon maple syrup

¼ teaspoon mustard of your choice

1 small finely chopped garlic clove or quarter of a teaspoon garlic bulb powder*

¼ cup of toasted sesame seed oil (or olive oil) the sesame seed oil gives a slightly smoky flavour

Sea salt* and (ground) peppercorns* to your taste

Method:

1. Peel and slice the sweet potato and place in a pan of oven hot olive oil with a little cumin seed and ground coriander and oven cook for approximately 25/30 minutes at 180 degrees until slightly brown and tender.

2. When you have put the sweet potato in the oven, place the Camargue red rice in a saucepan of boiling water, reduce heat slightly to medium heat and cook for about 15/20 minutes, then adding fresh peas and sweetcorn to cook for a further ten minutes. When cooked, drain off any excess water and mix in the chopped spring onion. The rice should have a slight crunch but be cooked. Put to one side.

3. Whilst the sweet potato and rice mix are cooking, you can start to make your dressings whilst keeping an eye.

Caesar dressing:

1. Toast your cupful of sesame seeds (hulled preferable) by turning in a pan over stove heat for a few minutes until they go a little darker and you can smell them heating.

2. Then when cooled put them into the food processor and add a little bland flavoured oil such as vegetable, avocado or a light olive oil and blend until smooth and creamy.

3. Any left-over Tahini can be stored in the fridge for a few days. You will need 1/4 of a cupful for the dressing base.

Or:

1. Put quarter of a cupful of ready-made Tahini into a medium sized jar.

2. Then add all other Caesar dressing ingredients including the finely grated Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast and stir well.

3. Put the lid on the jar and shake a little until all the ingredients are blended.

Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing:

1. Put all ingredients for apple cider vinegar dressing into a medium sized jar and then put the lid on and shake well.

2. Before assembling your bowl, cook the asparagus sticks in the microwave in a jug of water until they are tender but not mushy.

Ingredients for 2 bowls:

1. When you have the cooked rice mixture, cooked sweet potato and cooked asparagus to hand having kept them warm, work in a clockwise direction and arrange the washed salad, nasturtium petals and coriander leaves in a medium sized bowl (a pasta bowl will do) together with the chopped cucumber next to it.

2. Next to the cucumber add the Sauerkraut and sliced pickled onion.

3. Take the cooked sweet potato out of the oven and place next to the pickle and Sauerkraut.

4. Next is the Camargue red rice mixture.

5. Then the sliced cooked beetroot and then the sliced avocado.

6. Place the cooked asparagus sticks on top.

7. Spoon some of the apple cider vinegar dressing over the cucumber, leaves and sauerkraut.

8. Spoon some of the Caesar dressing over the beetroot, avocado and leaves.

9. Sprinkle a few chopped walnuts and chopped parsley leaves over the top

Find a peaceful place to eat.

Enjoy!